Low-Cost System for Early Detection and Deployment of Countermeasures Against Wild Fires

Abstract

This article introduces a novel low-cost smart system of networked nodes, based of narrow beam Far Infrared (FIR) sensors, which can detect and locate strong heat sources, such as fire, in real-time. This system is able to detect approaching wildfires, and can be used in combination with active fire protection mechanisms, such as water sprinklers, in order to attempt to sustain the advance of the flame front. The prime objective of this work was to develop a solution to proactively protect small areas of interest: isolated homes, small villages, camping sites, music festivals, etc. Experiments conducted with real fire validated the proposed solution.