The Amazon rainforest is grappling with some of the most severe wildfire seasons on record, and artificial intelligence is emerging as a potential ally in the fight.
As AI capabilities continue to expand, its capacity to address pressing environmental challenges is becoming increasingly evident. From detecting illegal logging to monitoring volcanic activity, the technology is finding wide application within environmental science. Researchers have now demonstrated the significant potential of a specific type of AI in detecting wildfires in the Amazon by leveraging satellite imaging technology combined with deep learning using Artificial Neural Networks.
The findings, published in the International Journal of Remote Sensing, indicate a 93% success rate when the researchers trained the AI model with a dataset of Amazon rainforest images, with and without active wildfires. The model was then tested on 40 additional images not included in the training set. In this test, the AI correctly identified 23 out of 24 images depicting wildfires, as well as all 16 images where wildfires were absent. This high level of accuracy boosts confidence in the robustness of the technology.
Researchers suggest that integrating this AI technology with other existing AI systems could enhance early warning systems and improve wildfire response strategies. The model, for instance, could be used to alert local authorities to the presence of wildfires rapidly, potentially before they spread out of control. Such a capability is particularly crucial for safeguarding the Amazon, a region that experienced more than 98,000 wildfires in 2023 alone. In 2024, a staggering 44.2 million acres of the Amazon in Brazil were consumed by fire, an area surpassing the size of California.
Numerous other Amazonian countries also witnessed a record number of fires in 2024, including Bolivia, while Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Guyana experienced significant surges in fire activity during the same year. The increase in Amazon wildfires is primarily attributed to two factors: droughts, which are exacerbated by climate change, and the expansion of industrial agriculture, which results in deforestation and leaves dry vegetation prone to ignition.
Professor Cíntia Eleutério of the Universidade Federal do Amazonas, the study’s lead author, emphasized the importance of early detection and response: “The ability to detect and respond to wildfires is crucial for preserving the delicate ecological balance of these vital ecosystems, and the future of this Amazon region depends on decisive rapid action.”, she stated. “Our study’s findings could improve wildfire detection in the Amazonian ecosystem and elsewhere in the world, significantly assisting authorities in combating and managing such incidents.”
The researchers are also encouraging exploration of additional applications of this new AI technology, with potential applications in efforts to combat global deforestation.
