Russia Deploys AI-Powered Cameras to Guard Forests from Wildfires

New smart surveillance systems in Russia’s Kurgan region are using artificial intelligence to detect fires before they spread—part of a nationwide push to protect natural ecosystems.

Russia is turning to digital technology to defend its forests from wildfires. In the Kurgan region, the state telecom company Rostelecom has rolled out a cutting-edge monitoring system called 'Lesookhranitel' (Forest Guardian), which uses AI to detect fires in their earliest stages.

Thirteen smart cameras have already been installed near major forest areas. Mounted up to 75 meters high, the cameras scan a radius of 18 kilometers in 360 degrees, completing a full sweep every 12 minutes.

Thanks to neural network algorithms, the system can automatically spot smoke, determine the coordinates, and send images and alerts to on-duty personnel. Currently, the technology covers roughly 1 million hectares of forest.

This initiative is part of a broader national effort to digitize environmental monitoring and prevent ecological disasters. Similar AI-equipped systems are also being deployed in other heavily forested regions such as Vologda and Primorsky Krai. By 2030, officials plan to install at least 3,000 of these cameras across the country.

In Russia, it’s no longer just rangers watching the woods—computers are keeping an eye too.