Pictured: An AI-powered camera in the state’s South East
A new AI-powered camera system is set to strengthen bushfire detection across the southern Barossa and northern Adelaide Hills, helping emergency services identify fires earlier and respond faster.
ForestrySA has partnered with bushfire detection and intelligence provider Pano AI to install a smart fire detection camera on an existing fire tower within the Mount Crawford Forest estate.
The advanced camera will capture ultra-high-definition panoramic imagery across the landscape, with the technology combining artificial intelligence, satellite data and human verification to detect potential smoke and fire activity in real time.
Once operational, the system will provide emergency services and land managers with detailed information about fire locations, behaviour and proximity to communities, infrastructure and firefighting resources.
The camera is expected to be installed next month and operating before the 2026-27 fire danger season, giving firefighters an additional tool to identify unplanned fires while they are still small and more manageable.
The Mount Crawford installation follows the successful rollout of eight AI-powered bushfire detection cameras across the Limestone Coast forestry region, which have detected almost 90 unplanned fires over the past three fire danger seasons.
The new trial will test how the technology performs in a more complex peri-urban environment, where forestry plantations, native vegetation, farms, businesses, infrastructure and residential communities sit closely together.
ForestrySA CEO Nathan Paine said, “The Green Triangle camera network, delivered in partnership with the South Australian Government, has shown that early detection technology can play an important role in identifying fires quickly and supporting rapid response efforts.
“This is proven technology that has been operating successfully for several fire seasons across the Green Triangle. The Mount Crawford installation will allow us to test how it performs in a more urban and peri-urban setting where the protection of life, homes, businesses, infrastructure and community assets is paramount.”
Minister for Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economy Chris Picton added, “This smart technology provides an opportunity for our firefighters to gain a critical head start, detecting fires earlier, when they’re smaller, safer and easier to contain.
“This is a powerful example of AI technology taking a huge amount of data and pinpointing a fire’s precise location at a crucial early point in time – and I’m excited to see how it will operate in a peri-urban environment.”
Minister for Forest Industries Clare Scriven said, “The installation of a new AI-powered bushfire detection system at Mount Crawford Forest will be of enormous value to local firefighters, providing critical intelligence to help them respond to bushfires even sooner.
“We’ve seen how this technology has helped improve bushfire responses on the Limestone Coast, but this new agreement between Forestry SA and Pano AI will mean we get to see how this technology works closer to the city.”
The Mount Crawford camera will form part of a broader approach to bushfire preparedness, complementing existing fire monitoring and response systems across South Australia.
