Artificially intelligent cameras detected more than 1,100 bushfires in Australia over summer, including some that would have been missed by humans until they posed a greater risk.  One fire outbreak caused by lightning strikes, for example, could have damaged a pine forest if cameras had not alerted firefighters.  Related Article Block Placeholder Article ID: 310595 “Still ghost town-ish”: Businesses fight for survival as bushfire danger peaks Adrian Black Pano AI revealed the findings on Tuesday after installing more than 100 high-resolution cameras across areas of NSW, Victoria and South Australia.  The detections follow a summer of severe heatwaves in several Australian states, and the fourth warmest January recorded since 1910, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.  Pano AI’s fire-detecting technology, typically installed on fire towers, uses ultra-high-definition cameras to scan for smoke during the day and heat at night.  Smarter business news. Straight to your inbox. For startup founders, small businesses and leaders. Build sharper instincts and better strategy by learning from Australia’s smartest business minds. Sign up for free. * indicates required Email Address * By continuing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. It compares what it finds to a database of more than three billion images and alerts emergency services if it detects fire with a high level of confidence.  The technology identified 1,132 unplanned fires during summer, including 667 in NSW.  Those fires were detected using 19 cameras, Forestry Corporation NSW innovation manager Jamie Carter said, and had proven particularly useful at night when fire towers were unstaffed.  In one instance, fire could have risked a pine plantation if not spotted by the technology and brought under control by fire crews.  “There was a big lightning storm that moved across the Victoria-NSW border and one of the cameras over at Timbillica picked up about six or seven new ignitions after dark,” he told AAP.  “Knowing they were there in the evening, a lot of good work got done that night, which meant we didn’t have big fires developing the next day.” Related Article Block Placeholder Article ID: 229769 Australia to face more floods, bushfires in ‘cascading’ effects of climate change: IPCC Brendan Mackey AI cameras helped put out more than 1,100 bushfires over summer The technology could not replace humans with local knowledge, Carter said, but it was helping to monitor more areas and predict the spread of more bushfires. “They’re definitely having an impact on reducing the number of fires that would get to a size where they’ll cause significant damage,” he said.  The technology is used by more than 150 government agencies in Australia, including the NSW Rural Fire Service, Country Fire Authority in Victoria, and National Parks.  While early in its adoption, Pano AI chief commercial officer Arvind Satyam said it had helped firefighters reduce the time needed to call for aerial support from 30 minutes to five minutes.  “AI is absolutely being applied for good here,” he said.  “AI can give you that advantage, can allow you to understand these incidents sooner, gives you the context, allows agencies to respond safely and more effectively.” Other efforts to detect bushfires early include Google’s FireSat program, which will use a constellation of 50 satellites to monitor remote parts of Australia by 2030.  This article was first published by AAP. Stay in the know Never miss a story: sign up to SmartCompany’s free daily newsletter and find our best stories on LinkedIn.