tentree launches the Following Wildfire tool to participate in the proactive fight against forest fires. Last year, wildfires in Canada reached records of duration and destruction, severely impacting people and communities. This year, Canadians will be able to alert local authorities and help spot up to 55% of wildfires that escape existing remote sensing technologies before they get out of control. With experts predicting an even more intense wildfire season, it is more crucial than ever to protect our land.
“At tentree, we are a tree planting company that sells sustainable clothing with the aim of making it easier to protect the planet,” explains Derrick Emsleyco-founder and CEO of tentree. We plant trees around the world, and one of our priorities is to plant trees here in Canada that have been destroyed by wildfires. With our tag #FollowingWildfire, people can help protect our forests and communities by getting out to enjoy nature and sharing their photos.”
Rather than relying on traditional monitoring methods, Following Wildfire uses a proprietary algorithm to scan major social media platforms for images tagged #FollowingWildfire. Using AI, this algorithm detects smoke or flames with high accuracy in publicly shared images. This cutting-edge technology provides extensive and critical coverage of activities and areas where human-caused fires occur. These fires, often located in remote regions, constitute a blind spot in terms of prevention.
By sending rapid notifications to local authorities responsible for protecting forests from fire, Following Wildfire allows Canadians to participate in a collective effort, protecting communities, forests and wildlife from flames. This innovative solution was developed in partnership with Dentsu Creation, Canada.
“Following Wildfire leverages the collective strengths of transformative creativity, data and technology, delivering a tool that we hope will make every Canadian feel like they can contribute to wildfire management this season,” says Jordan Doucettepresident and creative director of Dentsu Creation Canada. We hope that during this fire season, every Canadian will feel able to actively participate in protecting their community.”
While some fires are part of the forest life cycle or controlled burns, recent fires are leaving forested areas unable to recover on their own without the help of tree planting. This summer, tentree will match the first 20,000 trees sponsored as part of its ReLeaf program, which has already planted up to one million trees for the restoration of forests affected by fires. Tree planting packages start at $5 here.
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