Israeli researchers developed a new artificial intelligence model that promises to revolutionize lightning-induced wildfire prediction, which has grown increasingly common due to climate change.
The model has already been proven to predict where and when lightning strikes are most likely to cause wildfires, with an unprecedented accuracy of more than 90%. The AI model uses seven years of high-resolution global satellite data and environmental factors such as vegetation, weather patterns, and topography, to map and predict lightning-induced wildfire risks around the globe.
With an improved ability to predict lightning fires, meteorological services, fire departments, and emergency managers can respond earlier, smarter, and more effectively, which could ultimately save lives and protect ecosystems.
The model is not yet publicly available and has not yet been integrated into real-time forecasting systems, but the research team says their AI development marks a critical step forward in wildfire prediction. AI tools like theirs are going to become critical to better understand and predict impacts as the implications of climate change grow.
