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.

The forest is in Parnitha, Greece. Vodafone’s technologies and network will be able to detect quickly any fire and send an alert to the authorities. With this initiative, Vodafone says it shows in practice how its technologies can contribute to the effort to tackle the climate crisis and the green transition of Europe in a socially equal way.

Using the Vodafone Green Network, artificial intelligence, cameras and sensors, the system will provide features such as automatic smoke detection. It can record changes in ambient temperature over a radius of several kilometres, identify the reasons why this occurs, and record various environmental indicators, such as humidity level and atmospheric pressure.

Detecting a fire in its initial stage, the system activates an alarm and sends the exact location, as well as an image from the point of fire to the control centre operator, which is in the form of a web-based application, accessible from anywhere.

Using the appropriate equipment, data and indicators collected and an intelligent algorithm, the system senses the danger and signals an alarm. This happens, for example, when the heat rises and the algorithm detects from the data that there is a fire. At the same time, a camera can recognise the smoke at a point and confirm it, sending a command to another camera to focus on the point. Thus, it activates the corresponding signal and sends an image and location to a special platform.

Among the advantages are the detection of even limited foci of fire at very long distances, the extremely fast detection, usually before the fire becomes visible through visual media, and the ability to locate the focus 24 hours a day and at completely zero lighting levels.

This is a pilot initiative that is being developed and will be implemented for a period of 12 months in Parnitha. Vodafone’s ambition is for it to be used by all forests and natural beauty areas throughout Greece. According to older research, every year in Greece about 500,000 acres of forest and agricultural land are burned.

“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 evolving its network and opening up possibilities for a sustainable future. In addition, Vodafone specialises in IoT and connects more than 142 million devices and platforms worldwide with technologies that promise a safer and cleaner planet. Vodafone aims through its technologies to help improve the lives of one billion people and to eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from its operation by 2030. The group’s goal is for zero emissions of carbon dioxide throughout the company’s value chain by 2040.