How APS is using artificial intelligence to fight wildfires

By Trinity Murchie, Arizona Silver Belt

It’s no surprise that wildfires have already begun popping up across Arizona. Wildfire season is here. However, in recent years, APS has implemented a new fire mitigation strategy that is already proving fruitful: AI-powered cameras.

Of the 45 cameras currently online across the state, one is located in the Pinals, another on Buffalo Hill, and a third on Mount Ord, just northwest of Roosevelt. By the end of the year, APS anticipates expanding the network to 71 cameras, allowing them to work together to triangulate and detect fires as they begin.

The cameras are mounted atop cell towers located on hilltops to maximize visibility. Their elevated placement provides a 360-degree view with a radius of more than 10 miles. Using existing cell towers also allows for seamless access to power. Each camera operates on a primary power source while also maintaining battery and generator backups, ensuring continued operation even if power to a specific tower is interrupted.

With infrared technology integrated into the system, the cameras capture images every five seconds. The AI software uses those images to establish a baseline of what an area should look like under normal conditions. When the system detects a discrepancy, it alerts a dispatcher at a vendor-operated monitoring center. The dispatcher then reviews the images. If there is evidence of smoke, fire, or another cause for concern, the dispatcher notifies the appropriate authorities. According to Fire Mitigation Supervisor Brian Kelly, the cameras have already demonstrated “a return on investment” since being implemented in late 2024.

Approximately 83 agencies currently have access to the images and views captured by the cameras. Those agencies include forest services, municipalities, county offices, and other public entities. During a fire mitigation meeting earlier this year, APS officials also discussed the possibility…

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