Turning Power Lines into the Front Line of Wildfire Detection

When Every Minute Matters

Wildfires are no longer seasonal anomalies—they’re escalating into year-round crises, fueled by hotter, drier, and windier conditions. Every lost minute can mean acres burned, homes lost, and lives upended. And by the time smoke reaches a camera tower or is picked up by satellite, it’s often too late.

But what if fire detection could start where the danger often begins—right on the power line?

This article explores how transmission and distribution infrastructure can double as a real-time wildfire detection system, unlocking unprecedented speed and coverage for utilities, emergency responders, and the communities they serve.

Heavy wildfire smoke in Athens, Greece.

The Missed Opportunity: A Network Already in Place

High-voltage transmission lines span across forests, valleys, and mountainous terrain—often the same regions marked by high wildfire risk. In fact, many of the earliest fire ignition points are only reachable by aircraft or happen out of line-of-sight from conventional cameras.

That’s where the opportunity lies.

Power lines already:

• Cross through the wildland-urban interface—prime ignition zones.

• Operate in remote, low-connectivity environments.

• Feature elevated vantage points perfect for wildfire cameras and sensors.

Instead of building new towers, we can equip existing infrastructure with AI fire detection.

Power lines stretch over wast remote areas.

What AI Fire Detection Brings to the Table

Modern wildfire detection no longer relies solely on human observation or satellite data. With today’s technology, utilities can deploy AI-powered smoke detection tools directly onto their grid infrastructure.

Key capabilities include:

• Smoke and thermal signature detection within seconds, not hours.

• On-line wildfire monitoring—data, images, and alerts directly from the conductor.

• Edge AI for real-time processing, reducing reliance on cloud or network latency.

• Visual verification to avoid false positives and dispatch delays.

These systems are purpose-built to survive harsh environments, leveraging line-powered monitoring units that don’t require external electricity or towers. Think of it as an always-on, intelligent remote wildfire monitoring system.

A wildfire camera system deployed on a power line in Canada.

Tackling the Challenges, Head-On

There are real barriers to deployment:

• Extreme weather conditions

• Limited communications infrastructure

• Challenging maintenance logistics

But these challenges are solvable with the LKX-MULTI camera system:

• Patented power harvesting enables sensor operations directly from the conductor.

• High bandwidth satellite communication systems offer connectivity where there is no mobile connectivity

• Modular systems allow for easy upgrades and remote diagnostics of camera system.

It’s not about building a new network. It’s about smartly upgrading what already exists.

Who Should Be Paying Attention?

This solution is already proving valuable across the wildfire ecosystem:

• Transmission and distribution operators (TSOs & DSOs) needing fast fire alerts to protect assets.

• Utilities working to meet regulatory mandates on wildfire mitigation (e.g. CPUC, FERC).

• Government agencies managing emergency responses and evacuation timelines.

• Environmental organizations monitoring forest health and ecosystem impacts.

• Insurance companies analyzing real-time fire risk exposure for underwriting.

For each of these groups, AI wildfire detection on the grid provides faster, ground-level intelligence where it matters most.

See the Smoke Before It’s Too Late

Wildfires are no longer just a natural hazard—they’re a growing threat to critical infrastructure. But with line-mounted fire detection systems, utilities can detect smoke before it’s visible from the ground, alert stakeholders instantly, and prevent disaster before it spreads.

360° camera view from the wildfire camera monitoring system.
🛰️ The system allows operators and stakeholders to go from reactive to proactive wildfire resilience.

Let’s Talk

If you're exploring ways to mitigate fire risk, deploy remote wildfire surveillance, or enhance your infrastructure with AI-powered detection, we’d love to help.

Laki Power is already helping utilities and grid operators turn their networks into early warning systems—from conductor to control center.

📩 Reach out or fill out our form to see what’s possible.