Kalmthout (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Kalmthout municipality boosts safety at Kalmthoutse Heide after the Hoge Kempen fire, using AI cameras for quick smoke detection. Fire chief Dwino Aerts leads vigilant fire crews ready to respond fast.
As VRT News reported, the Kalmthout, a municipality in the province of Antwerp, Belgium, has decided not to implement extra restrictions on the Kalmthoutse Heide. Along with extra patrols, Kalmthout is using smart cameras with artificial intelligence (AI). These cameras constantly take pictures of the heat and check them for smoke, which means a fire might be starting.
How is Kalmthout using AI to detect and prevent health fires?
The AI looks at these pictures very fast, finding smoke quicker than old methods. Officials mentioned that this helps emergency services know about fires right away, giving them a better chance to stop them before they spread. By using more people to watch and smart AI cameras, Kalmthout is trying to prevent fires and keep the Kalmthoutse Heide safe and sound.
According to Dwino Aerts, who is in charge of forest fire management. The cameras continuously observe the terrain and can detect smoke or fire instantly. This process will allow the fire service to quickly and accurately receive alerts, react quickly, and react properly.
He mentioned that by using AI’s rapid detection abilities combined with the fire brigade’s quick response, they are greatly improving their effectiveness in protecting forested areas from large-scale damage.
Firefighters are on high alert due to the growing risk of forest fires. Dwino Aerts noted that this has led to increased vigilance among the fire crews. They are more aware than usual, knowing the serious damage a fire can cause, even though fires aren’t a daily incident.
“There is a healthy nervousness among the fire brigade, our staff is now very alert”
Dwino Aerts, Director of Operations and wildfire expert at Fire Brigade Zone Rand
Dwino Aerts mentioned that the focus is on increasing safety measures to prevent future fires. The local fire department is on high alert, prepared to respond quickly to any incidents. Forest rangers are also increasing their presence, educating visitors about safety and enforcing existing rules.
