It’s a hot day in early December, and the Tasmanian winds are fierce. Firefighting teams are stretched thin, with blazes burning at both Dolphin Sands and St Helens on the east coast. While they are mopping up at Dolphin Sands, where 19 homes have been lost, the fire remains alive at St Helens. Suddenly, a remote artificial intelligence camera spots a tiny plume of smoke a few kilometers away near St Mary’s, in the middle of tinder-dry bush.
At 8:30 in the morning, an alarm pings. Real-time pictures are checked before fire headquarters is alerted. A chopper is then deployed from the St Helens blaze to the exact coordinates to douse the flames. From the first alert to extinguish, two hours have passed. For the tired firefighters still working on the coast, it’s a fire disaster averted.
AI Technology Revolutionizing Fire Detection
The prompt response to the fire is a significant relief for Shaun Suitor from Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT). His organization is one of the key agencies involved in firefighting across Tasmania’s remote regions, alongside the Parks and Wildlife Service.
“The early detection allowed the STT duty officer to send staff and equipment there to put it out really quickly,” Mr. Suitor said. The fire detection technology is developed by Indicium Dynamics, a software company based in southern Tasmania. “The St Helens fire was spotted by remote cameras as well, although it was also called in by locals at the same time,” the company’s chief executive Rob Vernon noted.
This development follows a $1.4 million federal government grant that will allow STT and Indicium Dynamics to double their remote firefighting technology by rolling out a new generation of remote cameras, drones, and supporting technology across Tasmania.
Proven Success in Fire Detection
Already, the trial of cameras has proved their worth. “In the 2024/25 season, they detected more than 550 fires around the state; 123 of those went directly through to fire management agencies,” Mr. Vernon said.
The trial cameras were strategically placed on fire towers, already in place on hilltops and elevated areas, offering clear views through to the horizon. These towers are often manned by people fire spotting during the fire risk season, although this technology may eventually replace the need for human spotters.
“The fire towers have made natural sense for us to start there, given they have excellent, amazing views of the Tasmanian landscape,” Mr. Vernon said. “The AI’s really good out to 20, 30 kilometers, but our daytime record is detecting fires 78 kilometers away.”
But it is not just the fire spotting that authorities appreciate about the technology. The images captured by the cameras are used alongside other data points to paint a clear picture of the fire conditions.
Building the Nation’s Largest Camera Detection Network
The company is also developing portable, off-grid towers and cameras, as well as remotely operated drones that can be sent into remote areas during fire risk periods. “We need this investment to help our fire staff as much as possible,” Mr. Vernon emphasized.
The move represents a significant step forward in ensuring Tasmania is ready to tackle the rising number of bushfires. “We naturally still want and need brave women and men on the front lines of any fire, but our role is to augment their capabilities, and we’re really excited about our opportunity to do that,” Mr. Vernon added.
This initiative comes at a time when climate change is exacerbating fire risks globally, making early detection and rapid response more critical than ever. By integrating cutting-edge technology with traditional firefighting methods, Tasmania is setting a precedent for how regions can effectively manage and mitigate fire risks in the future.
