INWIT uses towers to detect forest fires

The towerco not only works with IoT sensors and smart cameras, but also adds artificial intelligence to the fight to protect Italy’s forests

Italian tower company INWIT has expanded its partnership with civil protection organisation Legambiente to monitor and prevent forest fires, one of the biggest threats to Italy’s forests. The two have already worked together to monitor air quality, but have now stepped up their activities around Abruzzo.

The first areas involved in this new phase are the Abruzzo municipalities of Pescasseroli (AQ), within the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, and Pettorano sul Gizio (AQ), in the Monte Genzana Alto Gizio Regional Nature Reserve, where the technology has been installed. This will be followed in the month of August by the installation of fire monitoring in the Lecceta di Torino di Sangro Regional Nature Reserve (CH), the Bosco Don Venanzio Nature Reserve in Pollutri (CH) and the municipality of Civitella Roveto (AQ) to monitor the Longagna area.

INWIT’s five towers in these areas will be equipped with five gateways and nine smart cameras, integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) software that can detect fires at an early stage. Their location on top of the towers is also the best position to observe large areas.

The maximum distance that the cameras can cover varies depending on the orographic characteristics of the location and the relative size of the fire plume. The observation radius is on average 2 km around the location point, but in certain cases it can extend up to 5 km, covering a maximum area of ​​approximately 80 square kilometers. The equipment is also able to operate in adverse environmental conditions and, thanks to AI, to distinguish chimney smoke from that of fires.

“The implementation of these activities confirms the value for the territory and the role of our digital and shared infrastructures which, in addition to enabling 4G and 5G from operators, can also host different technologies and offer more integrated and innovative services that are also able to actively contribute to the protection of the environment and biodiversity,” said Michelangelo Suigo, Head of External Relations, Communications and Sustainability at INWIT.

He added: “The solid partnership with Legambiente, after monitoring the environment and air pollution in the parks, has been strengthened and relaunched with the monitoring and prevention of fires thanks to our towers, guards who support the great work of the responsible institutions, and artificial intelligence.”

“Over the years, there has been an increase in activities where new technological frontiers combined with the development of digital and artificial intelligence provide increasingly strategic support. The environmental and fire monitoring projects, which we launched with INWIT after the one on air quality, follow precisely this direction and focus on a delicate issue with serious consequences for the territories”, says Giorgio Zampetti, General Manager of Legambiente.

In July 2023, INWIT and Legambiente launched the project that would develop the role of digital and shared infrastructure by installing IoT sensors, smart cameras and gateways on INWIT towers for monitoring and fire prevention. Air pollution monitoring was set up in four natural areas of the central Apennines: the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, the Maiella National Park, the Zompo lo Schioppo Nature Reserve and, finally, the Monte Genzana Alto Gizio Nature Reserve.