In December 2024, the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) successfully utilized artificial intelligence (AI) to detect and respond to a vegetation fire in Black Star Canyon, a remote area of Orange County. While the agency has been utilizing AI in tandem with 9-1-1 calls to detect wildfires for some time, this is the first fire that was located exclusively by AI.
At approximately 2:00 a.m. on December 4, OCFA’s Emergency Command Center dispatchers received an alert from the University of California San Diego’s ALERTCalifornia camera network’s AI, which identified an anomaly in video footage. Unlike traditional emergency calls made through 911, this fire was solely detected by strategically mounted cameras monitoring high-risk areas across the county. This location is not heavily trafficked at night, which likely contributed to the fact that zero reports of smoke or fire came in from the public.
This innovative technology is the result of a collaborative effort initiated by the County of Orange Area Safety Taskforce (COAST) with on-going sponsorship of the ALERTCalifornia | UC San Diego program provided by Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric, and CAL FIRE. This collective support empowered the deployment of these AI-enhanced camera systems in wildfire-prone areas, significantly improving early detection and response.
Armed with this early detection, OCFA dispatchers launched a wildland fire response, and our firefighters contained the blaze to less than a quarter acre – meeting OCFA’s goal of keeping 95% of vegetation fires to 10 acres or less. No homes or structures were damaged, no injuries occurred, and no evacuations were necessary.
“This is one example of how we are leveraging emerging technology and strategic partnerships to combat wildfires,” said OCFA Fire Chief Brian Fennessy. “With wildfire hazards now a year-round challenge, early detection and collaboration are crucial to protect lives and property.”
This joint effort highlights OCFA’s commitment to working with regional partners and utilizing advanced tools to safeguard the community from the growing threat of wildfires.
