Vodafone has created the first smart forest in Greece based on IoT, artificial intelligence and its Green Network for the efficient and timely detection of smoke and fire.

Parnitha, Greece, is where the forest is based. Vodafone’s network and technology will be able to identify any fire quickly and send an alarm to the authorities. Vodafone claims that this initiative shows in practice how its technology can assist in the effort to address the climate issue and Europe’s green transition in a socially appropriate way.

The system will deliver features such as automatic smoke detection using the Vodafone Green Network, artificial intelligence, cameras, and sensors. It can track changes in ambient temperature over a several-kilometer radius, identify the causes, and record numerous environmental indicators such as humidity and atmospheric pressure.

When the system detects a fire in its early stages, it sounds an alert and sends the exact location as well as an image from the fire to the control center operator via a web-based application that can be accessed from anywhere.

The system detects danger and sounds an alarm using the appropriate equipment, data and indicators collected, and an intelligent algorithm. This can happen when the temperature rises and the system detects a fire based on the data.

Simultaneously, a camera can detect smoke at a specific location and confirm it, sending a command to another camera to focus on the location. As a result, the corresponding signal is activated, and an image and position are sent to a special platform.

The ability to detect even small foci of fire at great distances, as well as extremely fast detection, usually before the fire becomes visible through visual media, and the ability to pinpoint the focus 24 hours a day and in full darkness, are just a few of the benefits.

This is a 12-month pilot effort that is currently being designed and will be launched in Parnitha. Vodafone hopes that it will be adopted by all Greece woods and natural beauty zones. According to a previous study, roughly 500,000 acres of forest and agricultural land are burned in Greece each year.

“Greek forests are vital for the preservation of the natural ecosystem in the country and technology can now offer modern tools that will protect them from fires,” said Haris Broumidis, CEO of Vodafone Greece. “Combining the best technologies of Vodafone, we create a smart forest to show how we can protect Parnitha, a national park that has a catalytic role for the quality of life of the approximately five million inhabitants of the Attica Basin. The protection of the planet is a key pillar of our corporate purpose and we believe that through our technologies we can contribute to a more sustainable future for all.”

Vodafone is expanding its network and paving the way for a more sustainable future. Furthermore, Vodafone specializes in the Internet of Things (IoT) and connects over 142 million devices and platforms around the world with innovations that promise a safer and cleaner society.

Vodafone wants to improve the lives of one billion people with its technology and eradicate carbon dioxide emissions from its operations by 2030. By 2040, the company’s goal is to have zero carbon dioxide emissions throughout its value chain.