Telluride Fire Protection District and San Miguel Power Association launch new pilot with Pano AI to help protect local communities from wildfires

Technology will provide active wildfire detection and situational awareness to help the Telluride Fire Protection District tackle wildfires before they become a threat

The Telluride Fire Protection District (FPD) and San Miguel Power Association today announced a new pilot partnership with Pano AI, the first company to offer a fully-integrated active wildfire detection solution using AI, as part of their commitment to reducing the impact of catastrophic wildfires in San Miguel County this wildfire season.

The first-of-its-kind pilot in San Miguel County will run throughout the upcoming wildfire season to provide active wildfire detection to communities in and around Telluride, including tourist attraction Telluride Ski Resort, located in Mountain Village. Technology from Pano AI will enable early detection and monitoring to provide richer data on wildfires as they emerge and allow for a safer, faster, and more effective fire response.

“San Miguel County is a vibrant community surrounded by unparalleled natural beauty, and we need to do everything we can to protect that,” said John Bennett, District Chief of Telluride FPD. “The wildfire threat is surging, and every minute matters when it comes to preventing a destructive wildfire. Pano AI gives our firefighters and incident commanders enhanced visibility of hard-to-monitor terrain and situational awareness to help us coordinate an early incident action plan, and enables quick deployment of resources so we can stop an ignition in its tracks.”

The pilot program will integrate artificial intelligence with a combination of ultra-high-definition, 360-degree cameras, satellites, and other data feeds to offer active wildfire detection and real-time situational awareness. This innovative approach enables cameras to quickly detect and identify smoke and fire as soon as it emerges on the landscape to accurately pinpoint its location. The technology will greatly enhance Telluride FPD’s ability to respond quickly, mobilize resources to the site of a fire, and alert nearby communities of potential danger in their vicinity. Pano AI’s technology will also support prescribed fire practices by enabling additional visibility of the fire and utilizing artificial intelligence to detect and provide a notification for any concerning flare ups.

“We applaud the bold and innovative private-public partnership of Telluride FPD and San Miguel Power Association to increase community resilience to climate-related disasters in the county,” said Arvind Satyam, Pano AI’s Chief Commercial Officer. “The climate crisis is generating more extreme and destructive weather patterns across the planet, and we must adapt to cope with the impacts that are already here and plan for our futures. Telluride FPD and San Miguel Power Association’s leadership has allowed Pano AI to expand its wildfire detection network across the state to enhance grid resilience and safeguard lives and communities from wildfire threats.”

Pano AI’s technology is already active in the state of Colorado, with deployments in Boulder, Aspen, Vail, Beaver Creek and Roaring Fork thanks to partnerships with Boulder County, Aspen Fire Department, Xcel Energy and Holy Cross Energy. The pilot reinforces the importance of private-public partnerships to expand active wildfire detection networks in high-risk areas across the state, increase electrical grid resilience, and protect communities.

“Our partnership with Telluride FPD and Pano AI marks a significant milestone in our efforts to increase grid resilience in line with the risks posed by our heating planet,” said Jeremy Fox, Chief Operating Officer at San Miguel Power Association. “By leveraging Pano’s solution, we can better coordinate with emergency responders during high-fire risk conditions to safeguard infrastructure, maintain grid integrity and better protect surrounding communities.”

In the two years since its founding, Pano AI has developed the most advanced fire-tech product in the marketplace and is deployed with governments, fire authorities, utilities, forestry companies, and other private landowners. Pano AI operates in six U.S. states (California, Colorado, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and Montana) and two states in Australia (New South Wales and Queensland).

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About Pano AI

Pano AI is the first disaster preparedness technology provider to offer a fully-integrated solution for active wildfire detection using artificial intelligence to help fire authorities identify and extinguish new ignitions before they become a threat. Harnessing the latest developments in hardware, artificial intelligence, and cloud-based software, Pano AI provides fire agencies with real-time actionable intelligence and situational awareness to coordinate an informed rapid response to wildfires before they escalate, safeguarding lives, communities, and the environment. To learn more about Pano, visit: www.pano.ai

About Telluride FPD

Established in 1966, the Telluride Fire Protection District (TFPD) covers 350 square miles of mountainous terrain, encompassing the historic Town of Telluride, the Town of Mountain Village, Placerville, Sawpit, and Ophir, the Telluride ski resort and multiple bedroom communities. Volunteer firefighters have been serving this community since 1878 when gold mining was the primary choice of occupation. Today with our highly trained Fire and EMS staff and volunteer personnel, we continue to serve our community and its ever growing needs. TFPD strives to provide a safe, secure environment for the district by minimizing the impact of fire, disaster, hazardous conditions, and medical and trauma-related personal emergencies. For more information, visit: www.telluridefire.com