Not only working with IoT sensors and smart cameras, the towerco is adding artificial intelligence to the fight to protect Italy’s forests
Italian towerco INWIT has extended its partnership with civil defence organisation Legambiente to monitor and prevent forest fires, one of the main threats to Italian forests. The two have already been collaborating on monitoring air quality but have now stepped up their activities around Abruzzo.
The first territories 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, within the month of August, by installing 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 territories will be equipped with five gateways and nine smart cameras, integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) software capable of detecting fires at an early stage. Their location at the top of the towers is also the best position to observe large areas.
The maximum distance the cameras can cover varies according to the orographic characteristics of the site and the relative size of the fire plume. The observation radius is on average 2km around the location point, but in certain cases it can extend to 5km, covering a maximum area of around 80 square kilometres. The equipment is also capable of operating in adverse environmental conditions and, thanks to AI, distinguishing 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 operators’ 4G and 5G, can also host different technologies, offering more integrated and innovative services which are also capable of making an active contribution to the protection of the environment and biodiversity,” said INWIT head of external relations, communication and sustainability Michelangelo Suigo.
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, sentinels supporting the great work of the institutions in charge, and artificial intelligence.”
“Over the years, there has been a rise in the activities in which new technological frontiers combined with the development of digital and artificial intelligence provide increasingly strategic support. The environmental and fire monitoring projects, which we have initiated with INWIT after those on air quality, follow this very direction and focus on a delicate issue with heavy repercussions for the territories,” said Legambiente general manager Giorgio Zampetti.
In July 2023, INWIT and Legambiente initiated the project that would evolve 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 in the central Apennines: the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, the Maiella National Park, the Zompo lo Schioppo Nature Reserve and, lastly, the Monte Genzana Alto Gizio Nature Reserve.