How one mountain town hopes AI can help it fight wildfires

Vail, a mountain resort town in Colorado, is taking steps to bolster its response to wildfires by leveraging a new AI smart city platform from Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). The town's aim is to detect fires more quickly and easily than ever before, thanks to the power of advanced analytics.

The system, developed alongside Kamiwaza, Nvidia, and several other tech companies, uses artificial intelligence to analyze footage taken by cameras placed on buses and high vantage points on the mountains. This footage is then reviewed by AI-powered software that can restore higher fidelity in images if needed, before applying video analytics against it to identify lightning strikes and smoke.

The platform also incorporates geospatial data analysis provided by Blackshark.ai, which uses drone and satellite images to assess how dry or healthy vegetation is as a measure of fire risk. This helps authorities determine the proximity of fire-prone brush to homes and decide what needs to be cleared.

Vail is not alone in its efforts to use AI for wildfire detection. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has developed an experimental Next Generation Fire System (NGFS) to automate fire detection from satellite imagery.

The use of AI for wildfire detection has raised concerns about the impact on climate change, as new energy-hungry data centers have also led to a spate of new fossil fuel projects. However, HPE's smart city platform is powered by renewable energy and plugged into the local power grid with electricity provided by Holy Cross Energy, a rural electric co-op that says 76 percent of its portfolio was made up of renewables in 2024.

The platform is expected to not only improve wildfire detection but also streamline administrative tasks, such as reviewing housing permits and business license applications, ensuring municipal websites are accessible for people with disabilities, and more. With the town's population of just 4,300 residents being inundated with up to 30,000 visitors a day during peak ski season, AI is expected to help free up staff to tackle the most pressing priorities.

With climate change posing an increasingly significant threat to mountain towns like Vail, the use of AI for wildfire detection and prevention is seen as a crucial step forward in protecting these communities.

omg can u believe this?? vail is literally taking ai to new heights (get it?) they're not just detecting fires faster but also using it to help with admin tasks like making websites accessible for people with disabilities that's what i'm talking about, reducing the carbon footprint of data centers by using renewable energy and plugging into the local power grid is a major win 76 percent of holy cross energy's portfolio was made up of renewables in 2024? that's insane! and it's not just vail, noaa is working on an experimental fire detection system from satellite imagery we need more initiatives like this to combat climate change

Meh, another town trying to stay on top of things with tech. I mean, who doesn't love the idea of fancy cameras on buses and mountains taking footage to help prevent wildfires? It's not like we're all just sitting around waiting for the next big fire or anything.

But seriously, it's kinda cool that Vail is using AI and all these other tech companies to improve their response times. And hey, if it means people can focus on more pressing things than paperwork, I'm good with that . The thing that gets me is how some of this tech is powered by renewables, which is awesome, but also kinda throws the fossil fuel concern out the window . Still, kudos to Holy Cross Energy for doing their part.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, it's all about finding ways to make life easier and safer, even if some of this tech feels a little...luxurious .

I gotta say, this new AI smart city platform from HPE has me both stoked and skeptical at the same time . I mean, on one hand, being able to detect wildfires more quickly and easily with advanced analytics is a game-changer, especially for towns like Vail that are already dealing with climate change concerns . The fact that it's powered by renewable energy and plugged into the local power grid is definitely a plus .

But at the same time, I'm worried about the environmental impact of all these new data centers and the potential for them to contribute to fossil fuel projects . And what about the cost? I mean, we're already talking about $30,000 visitors a day during peak ski season - that's a lot of taxpayer dollars .

Still, I think it's great that Vail is taking proactive steps to protect its community and invest in tech that can help prevent disasters . And if this platform can also streamline administrative tasks and make municipal websites more accessible, that's just the icing on the cake .

AI's gonna save our lives , or so I've been hearing from my old friends in Vail. They're gettin' all fancy with their new smart city platform, powered by renewable energy no less! It's like they're tryin' to stay ahead of the wildfires, and I gotta respect that. I mean, 4,300 residents and up to 30,000 visitors a day? That's a lot of people countin' on them AI systems to keep 'em safe. And let me tell you, it's not just about detectin' fires quick - they're also lookin' out for the environment. It's all about balancin' progress with preservation, if you ask me. I remember back in the day when Vail was a small ski town, and we'd worry more about snowdrifts than wildfires . Times have changed, but it's good to see them adaptin' and stayin' on top of things.

I'm worried about the energy consumption of all this new tech but I guess it's good that HPE's platform uses renewable energy . The idea of using AI to detect wildfires is awesome, it could really save lives and homes. But what about the cameras on buses? Are they not a bit invasive? And how accurate are these systems anyway? I mean, one mistake and someone's life is at risk . Vail seems like a great test bed for this tech though, but what if it gets rolled out to other towns? Will we see an AI takeover of emergency services?

I'm so stoked to see Vail taking proactive steps to combat wildfires using cutting-edge tech like AI smart city platforms! It's amazing how these innovations can help authorities detect fires faster, assess fire risk, and make data-driven decisions to keep residents safe . And, I love that the platform is powered by renewable energy - it's a win-win for both the environment and the community! Let's hope this tech trend continues to spread and inspires more towns to invest in AI-powered solutions

OMG u guyz!!! so vail resort town just got itself an insane AI smart city platform from Hewlett Packard Enterprise !! its gonna help them detect wildfires way faster & more accurate than before, like basically real-time ! and not only that but it's also super efficient on renewable energy !! i mean we gotta save the planet lol so yeah, Vail is getting in on the AI game to protect their community from those devastating wildfires... its a win-win for everyone

omg lol vail is gettin on board w/ AI 4 wildfire deteckshun its soo cool! but also kinda worrying cuz all those new data centers r suckin up all the renewable energy lol. like, hpe's smart city platform iz powered by renewables tho so thats a plus . i think AI is gonna save vail from those wildfires 4 sure and its not just about deteckshun 2, it'll also help w/ admin tasks n stuff . i mean, those towns r gettin hit by like 30k visitors per day during ski season , so AI is gonna be a lifesaver!

The way cities are adapting to wildfires is a total game-changer ! I mean, think about it - AI-powered smart city platforms are not only helping detect fires quicker but also analyzing geospatial data from drones and satellite images to assess fire risk . It's like having a superpower in the fight against wildfires ! And Vail is on top of this by leveraging their platform, which is powered by renewable energy , that's music to my ears. I'm all for innovative tech solutions that benefit communities, especially when it comes to climate change concerns . This just goes to show how AI can help protect our beautiful mountain towns like Vail #AIforWildfirePrevention #SustainableTech #ClimateAction

I'm loving this tech update ! So basically, Vail's got this crazy smart city platform that uses AI to detect wildfires way faster than before . And it's not just about detecting fires, but also analyzing the environment to see how dry or healthy vegetation is - super useful for authorities to figure out where fires are more likely to spread .

I'm all for using tech to help prevent climate change-related disasters . But at the same time, I feel like we need to be mindful of our energy consumption and make sure that these new systems aren't just creating more problems than they solve . Like, yeah, it's awesome that HPE's platform is powered by renewables, but what about all those other data centers popping up everywhere?

Anyway, I'm stoked to see Vail taking the lead on this AI-powered wildfire detection stuff ! It's a small step, but if we can make our mountain towns safer and more sustainable, that's a win in my book .

I'm not sure about this whole AI smart city thing... I mean, what's next? Cities being controlled by computers?

Vail is trying to use this new platform to detect wildfires faster, but it just seems like more technology to me. I mean, we've got cameras on buses and drones taking aerials of mountains... can't people just look out the window and see a wildfire coming? It's not that hard.

And what about the energy usage for all these new data centers and tech companies? Don't they care about the environment? I'm just saying, it seems like we're creating more problems than we're solving.

Vail is like totally ahead of the game when it comes to wildfires! They're using some serious tech to detect fires way faster than ever before . I'm all about innovation, but also kinda worried about our carbon footprint . All these new data centers and energy-hungry AI systems gotta be powered by renewable energy somehow, right? At least they're trying to make it work with Holy Cross Energy and stuff . But honestly, I'd love to see more sustainable solutions for this kind of thing... we gotta think about the planet, fam .

I mean, this whole AI thing is cool and all, but do we really need it to detect wildfires? Can't they just, like, look at the smoke from their backyard already? And what's up with the data centers being powered by renewables, but still contributing to climate change through energy consumption? It's all a bit complicated. And 76% of Holy Cross Energy's portfolio being made up of renewables in 2024 sounds great, but what does that even mean for Vail's carbon footprint? I guess it's good that the platform will streamline some administrative tasks, but will it really make a difference with 30,000 visitors a day?

I gotta say, using AI for wildfire detection in places like Vail is a total game-changer . I mean, we're talkin' about a town that's already dealin' with like, a million visitors during peak ski season, and then you throw in wildfires... it's a whole different level of stress . But this new AI smart city platform is gonna help 'em stay one step ahead .

And yeah, I know some people are worried about the environmental impact, but HPE's platform is powered by renewable energy, which is a huge plus . Plus, they're pluggin' into the local power grid, so it's not like they're just suckin' up all this energy and spewin' it out somewhere else. That's some responsible tech right there .

I'm also glad to see Vail workin' with other organizations, like NOAA, to develop new solutions for wildfire detection . It's all about collaboratin' and findin' ways to make our communities safer and more sustainable .

OMG, I'm so stoked about this!! AI tech is literally saving lives and communities! The fact that HPE's smart city platform is powered by renewable energy and doesn't contribute to more pollution is just amazing . And can you believe Vail's going all out with this system? 4,300 residents & 30k visitors a day? Talk about chaos management ! With AI on their side, they're gonna have so much more time for the things that really matter. Let's keep it up and make our communities safer & more sustainable

AI is like magic but we should be careful about how it's used . I mean, on one hand, it can make life easier for people living in mountain towns like Vail by detecting fires way faster and helping authorities take action before things get out of control . And that's awesome because climate change is a huge deal right now .

But at the same time, we need to think about all the energy that AI needs to run . Like, what happens when all those data centers are powered by fossil fuels and it's not renewable? We can't just keep burning more fossil fuels without hurting the planet .

So I guess what I'm saying is let's make sure we're using AI in a way that's sustainable and responsible . And hey, if that means finding ways to power data centers with more renewable energy, then that's totally worth it .

AI is gonna be super helpful in saving lives & stuff in Vail! The smart city platform sounds like it's got all the right tech tools to detect fires way faster, which is crazy important for those mountain towns that get slammed during peak ski season . But, I gotta wonder, how much energy does this whole thing actually use? Like, I know it's powered by renewables and all, but we don't wanna be relying on AI just to make our lives easier if it's gonna hurt the planet . Still, it's a good start, right?

I'm getting hyped about this smart city platform! It's like, totally awesome that Vail is taking proactive steps to prepare for wildfires . And it's even more cool that the system is powered by renewable energy and all that jazz . I mean, can you imagine having AI-powered cameras monitoring your town 24/7? It's like, a whole new level of safety and efficiency .

But what I find really interesting is how this tech can help reduce the administrative burden on staff. With up to 30,000 visitors a day during peak ski season, it must be chaos . If AI can help streamline tasks like permit reviews and website updates, that's gotta make life easier for everyone involved .

Of course, I do worry about the environmental impact of all this new tech . We're already seeing a lot of greenwashing with climate change, so it'll be interesting to see how responsible Vail is in keeping its energy commitments . Still, if this smart city platform can make a real difference in wildfire detection and prevention, that's gotta count for something .

omg i cant even imagine living in vail rn wildfires are so scary especially when u have like 30k visitors daily lol but i guess having an ai smart city platform from hpe is super cool they're using cameras on buses and mountains to detect fires and its also analyzing geospatial data from drones & satellites which sounds like sci-fi stuff what's crazy is that the system uses renewable energy & is plugged into local power grid so it's all sustainable lol lets hope vail stays safe