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UK government plans AI unit to detect wildfires

Andy Burnham is due to announce plans for a wildfire artificial intelligence (AI) unit in the National Situation Centre at the government's first wildfire resilience summit on Friday.

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A person in red workwear stands among burned shrubs and scorched ground.
A person in red workwear stands among burned shrubs. The location and date cannot be confirmed from the photo alone; it does not show the planned AI unit in operation.

The UK government plans to establish an artificial intelligence (AI) unit to detect wildfires. The measure follows major fires across the country during this year's record-breaking summer heat.

Andy Burnham is due to announce the plans at the government's first wildfire resilience summit on Friday. The unit would be based in the National Situation Centre, which is part of the Cobra briefing facilities.

The UK experienced its hottest summer on record this year. Prolonged dry weather and extreme heat fuelled wildfires, prompting emergency alerts to mobile phones in England and Wales.

Companies including Google, Airbus and VodafoneThree are expected to attend the summit to present ways to use satellite monitoring and early warning systems against wildfires. The government said the new AI unit was intended to help detect and fight fires faster.

The prime minister is also due to announce £45 million to help fire crews buy personal protective equipment specifically for wildfires.

Standard personal protective equipment can be too hot and heavy for wildfire conditions. This can cause crews to overheat or remove their equipment altogether, increasing their exposure to heat, smoke and radiant heat.

The prime minister is also due to announce plans to make military planes and helicopters available to fight wildfires on remote moorland, steep hillsides and other hard-to-reach terrain.