Governor Katie Hobbs Unveils New Technology to Bolster Wildfire Prevention Ahead of Peak Season

Phoenix, AZ - Today, Governor Katie Hobbs unveiled the newest effort to keep people safe during wildfire season: AI-powered wildfire detection technology. As Arizona approaches peak wildfire season, Governor Hobbs is equipping the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) to respond quickly and effectively to wildfires. The new project, AZFIRECAM, uses 360-degree view cameras to detect smoke and notify the Arizona Dispatch Center, allowing for faster response times in the most critical moments of a fire outbreak.

"Every minute and every second counts when a wildfire breaks out," said Governor Katie Hobbs. "We are leveraging emerging technologies and staying ahead of the curve to keep people safe and mitigate the threat of wildfires, while making it easier for our first responders to do their jobs. This technology is a generational leap in how we protect our communities, and I am proud to invest in the future of public safety."

"AI wildfire cameras are a major advancement in early wildfire detection, giving our firefighters and dispatchers the critical intelligence they need to respond faster and better protect our communities. These cameras are an investment not only for the Department but for the entire state of Arizona," said State Forester and DFFM Director Tom Torres.

There are 7 wildfire detection cameras across the state positioned at the following locations: