Google expands AI-powered fire tracking to Greece
Google is leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to provide detailed tracking of fire boundaries through Search and Maps, as well as location-based push notifications. According to a recent update, this tool is expanding to 15 additional countries across Europe and Africa, including Greece. The new countries are Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Greece, Spain, Italy, Kenya, Croatia, Cyprus, Montenegro, Monaco, Portugal, Rwanda, Slovenia and Turkey.
The AI-driven fire monitoring tool offers alerts and safety information for people near active fires. Google’s wildfire model is trained using diverse data sources, including extensive satellite imagery. Additionally, the model is validated by comparing it to Google’s fire scar data –patterns left on the ground after a fire is contained – based on previous fire measurements. Other AI models help verify the presence of fires, providing more accurate fire boundaries than satellite imagery alone.
Since launching this service earlier this summer, Google has mapped over 40 wildfires in southern Europe, including recent fires in Greece, Cyprus and Spain, as well as other incidents from Portugal to Kenya. This information is displayed in Search and Maps and delivered through notifications, supplementing existing efforts to keep people informed and safe. In the first week of July alone, approximately 1.4 million people accessed Google’s fire-related information in response to fires that erupted in Europe and Africa.
Google’s fire boundary tool is designed to be useful for both local residents and visitors. Alerts are customized based on users’ settings and language preferences, allowing travelers during the tourist season to receive timely, localized fire information in their preferred language. Additionally, fire information appears on Google Maps while using navigation, helping travelers identify potential wildfire hazards near their routes.
