How AI is playing a growing role in wildfire response

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A Cal Fire worker in Moreno Valley, California in 2023. Photo: Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

AI is already helping detect and monitor wildfires. Now, researchers are exploring how it could help fire officials decide where to deploy crews across multiple fires.

Why it matters: Studies show climate change is contributing to longer, more intense wildfire seasons, forcing officials to make high-stakes decisions about how to prioritize limited resources. AI could help them process information to make those decisions faster.