SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. — Sevier County Emergency Management Agency announced a pilot program testing artificial intelligence technology to help detect wildfires.
In a Facebook post the agency said it, along with the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Fire Administration, Sevier County Fire and Rescue, Sevierville Fire Department, Pigeon Forge Fire Department and the Gatlinburg Fire Department, will be field testing N5Shield Sensors across the county.
The agency says the sensors act like a sensitive nose, detecting gas and tiny particles in the air to detect fires early.
Sevier County has a history of devastating wildfires. In 2016, 17,000 acres in the Great Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge burned, injuring 200 people and killing 14.
According to the N5 Sensors website, the technology uses ground-based sensors, satellite imagery, environmental data and AI to detect fire ignition at very early stages. When it detects a fire, the N5Shield sends emergency alerts via text and email to stakeholders.
Sevier County is not the only region taking part in the pilot program. Oakland, California announced it's pilot program in May 2023. Maui, Hawaii also started a pilot program in August 2024, following the devastating fires on the island the year before.
In Washington State, the Department of Natural Resources conducted a similar pilot program with cameras from Pano AI that transmits images using 5G cell phone towers.
