How Artificial Intelligence Is Protecting France’s Forests from Wildfires

From the Alpes-Maritimes to New Caledonia, artificial intelligence is serving nature. Thanks to smart cameras and algorithms capable of detecting fire outbreaks, firefighters now have access to a more efficient surveillance network. On Mont Chauve, 870 meters above sea level overlooking Nice, an unusual silhouette scans the horizon. Two large globes rotate tirelessly, like the mechanical eyes of a science-fiction robot. Yet this curious machine is no gadget — it’s a surveillance camera capable of detecting a fire outbreak within seconds from over 12 kilometers away. Since its installation, it has already identified 14 wildfires, as well as numerous controlled burnings — sometimes illegal — according to the City of Nice, which in 2023 launched a large-scale action plan to prevent wildfire risks across its territory.