Jeollanam-do signed an agreement with the Gwangju Jeonnam Headquarters of Korea Electric Power Corporation to ascertain a forest fire prevention and early response system using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The agreement was held on the nineteenth on the Jeollanam-do Eastern Office, and the 2 organizations agreed to ascertain a cooperative system for forest fire prevention and power facility protection through a wise forest fire management joint response business agreement.
The important contents of the agreement are ▲mutual sharing of forest fire surveillance video information ▲cooperative project to ascertain a forest fire early response system ▲joint inspection of the system prior to the forest fire special countermeasure period.
The forest fire early response system installs forest fire surveillance cameras on transmission towers and base stations to observe forest fires in real time. Jeollanam-do will install forest fire surveillance cameras on transmission towers, and Korea Electric Power Corporation will provide power infrastructure and an AI-based forest fire evaluation platform to ascertain a system for early detection and response to forest fires.
The ‘Forest Fire Early Response System’ developed and operated by Korea Electric Power Corporation won the Presidential Award on the 2023 Lively Administration Best Practice Competition hosted by the federal government. This method utilizes cutting-edge information and communication technology (ICT) to detect forest fires early and was chosen as a model for public-private-public cooperation.
Jeollanam-do plans to make use of this agreement as a possibility to put in recent cameras in 4 locations by 2025 and to actively utilize KEPCO’s infrastructure, reminiscent of transmission towers, when replacing old forest fire surveillance cameras. This is predicted to scale back the camera installation budget and maximize the effectiveness of forest fire prevention.
Jeong Chan-gyun, head of the Eastern Regional Headquarters of South Jeolla Province, said, “The mutual cooperation between the 2 organizations will greatly contribute to protecting the lives and property of residents from forest fires, in addition to protecting forest resources and stable operation of power facilities.” He added, “Once the forest fire early response system developed and operated by KEPCO and the forest fire prevention information and communication technology platform currently being promoted by South Jeolla Province are accomplished, they shall be of great assist in stopping forest fires.”
Jeollanam-do is investing 1.1 billion won to construct an AI-based forest fire prevention information and communication technology platform to strengthen early response to forest fire disasters which might be becoming more frequent and intense attributable to climate change. It plans to complement and link 100 forest fire surveillance video systems in 22 cities and counties in Jeollanam-do and, after AI deep learning, to operate them in earnest starting in November, the autumn forest fire caution period.
Through this agreement, Jeollanam-do and Korea Electric Power Corporation are expected to ascertain a wise forest fire management system utilizing AI technology and present an efficient cooperation model for forest fire prevention and response.
Reporter Yang Jun-seok kailas21@aitimes.com
