Over the past couple of months, APS has installed a new piece of technology on some of its power poles and communications towers around the state. AI fire-sensing cameras are up and running at more than 30 locations. The cameras search for any sign of wildfire 24/7. When a wildfire is detected, APS fire mitigation experts and fire dispatch centers are alerted.
One such camera spotted the Brady Fire near Mayer last month when it was just one acre in size. The AI cameras can study the smoke within a ten-mile range to make sure it does not mistake it for fog or dust.
These cameras have been set up in Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff, Payson, and the Phoenix area.