Russian AI to Be Tested in Wildfire Forecasting This Summer

Russian researchers are preparing to test an AI system that could help predict wildfires in Yakutia as early as this summer.

Russian developers have trained an artificial intelligence system to forecast wildfires. The first field tests are scheduled to begin in Yakutia in the summer of 2025. Based in the Moscow region  Skolkovo Institute for Artificial Intelligence will take part in the trial. The announcement was made by Yakutia’s head, Aisen Nikolaev, in an interview with the Rossiya 24 news channel.

According to Nikolaev, the republic faces a pressing need to prevent forest fires. In 2025 alone, Yakutia has already reported 129 fire incidents, with more than 37,000 hectares burned. July is typically the peak season for wildfire activity, he said. To boost fire safety drones will be deployed for monitoring.

Still, the authorities are placing high hopes on the AI trials. If successful, the system will be integrated into current firefighting infrastructures. Additionally, the AI—based on solutions developed by engineers in Yakutia—could be made available to other Russian regions. The broader goal is to reduce not only forest fires but also other types of landscape fires nationwide.