Could tech replace firefighters in the battle against wildfires?

Recent wildfires in France, Spain, and Portugal have led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. Four firefighters in France have already lost their lives, while 150 have been injured. Chief Sergeant Guillaume Millet, a 24-year veteran of the Fire and Rescue Service, explains how technology has started to replace human lookouts in forest fire detection.

AI-assisted cameras, installed by companies like Midgard and FireTracking, can detect fires up to 20km (12 miles) away, providing real-time video, a zoomed-in map, and predictions of the fire's spread based on weather, humidity, and other factors. These systems have already detected seven fires 15 minutes before they were reported, potentially saving crucial time in firefighting efforts.

While drones are being tested for sea rescue and other tasks, they are not yet capable of dropping water or fighting wildfires directly. Instead, companies are developing drones with heavy-lifting capacities to spray water and other agents onto fires. However, experts like Millet remain skeptical, emphasizing that human firefighters are essential for actually putting out fires.

Technology has improved fire detection and response, but it is unlikely to replace human firefighters in the foreseeable future.