WASHINGTON STATE – The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Pano AI have installed 21 cameras across the state to help with early wildfire detection. These cameras are now accessible for public viewing.
“When Pano AI approached us with a new publicly accessible camera feed feature, it was an easy yes,” said George Geissler, DNR’s State Forester and Deputy Supervisor responsible for Wildland Fire Management. “Early detection is a key part of DNR’s wildfire rapid response model, and now Washingtonians can peek behind the scenes at how part of that detection process works.”
The cameras, positioned in 21 high-risk locations, offer 360-degree views and send live footage back to a Pano AI team. This team monitors the feeds 24/7, ready to alert DNR dispatch at the first signs of a wildfire, according to DNR Communications Director Michael Kelly.
“We’re proud to support the Washington DNR’s vision for wildfire safety, and we are proud to offer this new public sharing functionality to our customers,” said Sonia Kastner, Co-founder and CEO, Pano AI.
The Pano team monitoring live feeds from the 21 cameras will be able to notify DNR dispatch if the early signs of a wildfire are visible, with the goal of allowing resources to be deployed more effectively to fight fires.
The cameras were initially funded by the landmark Wildfire Response, Forest Restoration and Community Resilience Account (2021 House Bill 1168). They comprise a part of a five-year “agency pilot project” conceived in 2023, aiming to improve the state’s ability to stay aware of wildfires, and DNR’s efficiency with responding to them.
“The destructive impacts of our wildfire crisis aren’t just an eastside issue, they impact everyone in Washington,” Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove said. “Our agency’s wildfire suppression model has grown and evolved to meet the worsening conditions on the landscape, and I will work tirelessly with our State Legislature to secure and protect the funding that makes innovations like Pano AI possible – now and in the future.”
Live feeds from the 21 cameras can be viewed here.
