05 Jun, 2024

A First Among India’s Tiger Reserves, Pench Gets AI-Based Tech to Detect Forest Fires

Aimed to conserve its forests and the inhabitants within, Maharashtra’s Pench Tiger Reserve has installed an AI-based fire detection system. The system, a first of its kind for any tiger reserve in India will help detect any forest fires within the confines of the tiger reserve well in time. The artificial intelligence system features a high-resolution camera with a visual range that covers up to 15 kilometers. This new system will better increase the efficiency and allow for a more effective way of responding to forest fires in the area.

Named Pantera, the AI system incorporates a mix of satellite-based data and camera feed and provides alerts for forest fires in real time, in less than just three minutes, with the ability to differentiate between smoke and cloud! Consisting of a tower, camera, and a control room, it has been installed at one of Pench’s higher hills, remaining connected to the West Pench Range Office’s control room, also equipped with the ability of night time detection. Not just helpful for detecting any ongoing forest fires, Pantera is also able to predict the chance of any probable fires based on weather conditions, and data related to past fires as well.

Pantera, undoubtedly is a much more efficient way of detecting oncoming forest fires, it wasn’t always this way. Earlier, the forest department in the region relied on satellite-based data for any alerts, which now combined with visual data from Pantera makes it much easier to locate and respond to forest fires in the region.

The first AI-based forest fire detection system to be installed among any of India’s tiger reserves, Pantera has been the result of collaboration between Pench Tiger Reserve, Satpuda Foundation, Umgramerio, and Forest Fire Tech, USA, where part of the project was funded by Solar Industries India Limited, Nagpur, with the rest by the state government, and wishes to protect and further conserve the rich biodiversity of the forest of Pench.

Pench National Park News Input.