SAN DIEGO—
A network of about 50 webcams are helping firefighters monitor San Diego's backcountry for remote wildfires as part of a new partnership between UCSD, Cal Fire and San Diego County.The FireSight project was funded by a $36,000 grant from the county Board of Supervisors. The extensive video network will allow fire officials to verify fire reports and locate blazes more quickly.
"We will proactively be able to even make decisions on scene," said Howard Windsor, Cal Fire Chief. "Early detection allows us to be immediately proactive even before units arrive on the scene,''
Firefighters and residents will be able to see a fire in its early stages and predict the direction of spread from the cameras installed from atop two may of of San Diego's mountains peaks. Tuesday, county officials showed off the newest cameras in the feed. Eight cameras were recently installed on Mount Woodson and another eight on Red Mountain, filling in gaps in the webcam network. The cameras are installed about existing radio towers about 60 feet off the ground. County officials said they give the public and firefighters a 360-degree view of unincorporated parts of the County.
"Basically, where is this fire, where is it likely to go, where should we be stationing...whether it be helicopters or boots on the ground," said County Supervisor Ron Roberts.
Officials said the feed is tied into the University of California San Diego's High Performance Wireless Research and Education Network, or HPWREN.
In addition, the project adds more weather instruments that will measure wind speed, temperatures and humidity.
"Being able to bring the inputs of weather and the other data inputs that are necessary to know what that fire's going to do," said Windsor.
The webcams are not monitored full time by fire authorities but can be brought up quickly when fires are reported, officials said. They can also be monitored more closely during high-risk fire conditions, and the public can view them anytime on the Internet at the HPWREN website.
