Amazon Drying Up? Tunisia uses AI to fight Forest Fires

Amazon Drying Up? Tunisia uses AI to fight Forest Fires

KAKALI DAS

The loss of tropical rainforests reached a record high last year. This was revealed by a new report from an organization called Global Forest Watch.

According to their latest yearly study, forests the size of 18 soccer fields were destroyed every single minute in 2024. The main reason for this massive destruction was forest fires, which have become worse because of climate change. The number of forest fires was five times higher than in 2023. The report says that 2024 should serve as a warning to everyone.

Forest fires cause many problems. They put people’s lives at risk, reduce water supplies, and make the air dirty. Because of this, communities around the world are searching for new ways to control these fires.

In northern Tunisia, people are now using artificial intelligence (AI) to help. The technology looks like a hidden camera used to watch animals, but it is much more advanced. Officials have started to put special cameras in the forests. These cameras can spot fires early before they spread. In the Ras Jebel area in northern Tunisia, over 300 hectares of forest are being watched with this new system.

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The founder of the company making these AI devices, called “Smart for Green”, says they use artificial intelligence as a kind of sensor. This system can not only find fires that are already burning but also predict where future fires might happen. It works like a human eye that watches the forest all the time. As soon as the system sees a fire starting, it sends an alert to the authorities so they can respond quickly.

However, this technology is still being tested. For now, the information is sent only to the company that made the system. The sensors help them watch the forest’s condition throughout the year. This means they can make a smart map that shows which parts of the forest are at high risk of fire and where the trees and plants are very dry.

Tunisia is facing less rain overall and longer dry spells. In the last ten years, the amount of land damaged by fire was almost 20 times higher than usual. Around one-third of Tunisia is still covered by forest, and about one million people live in or near these forests. Right now, the people and local forest workers mostly just fight fires after they start.

Officials from Tunisia’s Ministry of Agriculture hope that the AI fire prediction system will offer better protection in the future. The forests are very important for Tunisia, not just for the economy but also for society and the environment.

Mohamed Naoufel Ben Haha, from Tunisia’s Ministry of Agriculture, said, “With a million people living in this ecosystem, it’s our responsibility to make sure they have a safe place to live.”

The pilot project with the forestry department is just starting. If it works well, the government plans to install these AI sensors in many more forest areas. This will help forest rangers do their jobs more easily and protect the forests better in the long run.

The Global Forest Watch report shows a very serious problem. This year, there were record-breaking forest fires not only in tropical forests but also in northern boreal forests. This is the first time such bad fires have happened in both types of forests in the same year.

This has important effects on many people. Those who live near forests may lose their homes or jobs. Others, even far away, can suffer from poor air quality caused by the fires. And the fires release huge amounts of greenhouse gases, which makes climate change worse all over the world.

Scientists are now warning that the Amazon rainforest is close to a tipping point. This means the Amazon could change from a tropical forest into a dry savannah, which is very different and less healthy for the planet.

Is it still possible to stop this from happening? Have we already gone too far? It is important to remember that there are still ways to solve this problem. We must not lose hope.

There is no simple solution, but many things can be done to reduce fires and stop forest loss. Elizabeth Goldman, Co-Director of Global Forest Watch, said, “One very important thing is that political leaders must keep forest protection as a priority. We see from the data that when countries have leaders who focus on this, deforestation goes down.”

She also said that strong measures to prevent and respond to fires are needed. This means governments and local communities must invest in protecting forests. Tunisia’s example shows how local efforts can help. She added that corporate commitments and laws to stop deforestation, especially from food production, must happen faster. Much of the forest loss happens because land is cleared for farming, cattle ranching, and crops like soy. Fires are often started as part of this clearing.

These solutions are proven, and if we act now, we can make real progress in the coming years.

Are forest fires a big threat to the world’s forests? Fires are not always bad for forests. Some types of forests actually depend on fire to clear away old dead plants and help new growth. But tropical forests, like the Amazon, usually do not have natural fires. This makes the current fires there a bigger problem.

The report found that half of the forests lost last year were destroyed by fires. Brazil had many problems with deforestation even before, mostly because of farming and cattle ranching. But this year, fires became the biggest problem.

Climate change made the fires worse. Droughts and heat waves are happening more often because global temperatures are rising. These changes are caused by the large amount of carbon dioxide humans are releasing into the air.

Forests are very important to fight climate change. Trees help cool the earth and provide shade. They are home to about 80% of the world’s land animals and plants. Forests are also very important for people’s lives. Many communities depend on forests for wood, energy, and jobs.

Trees absorb carbon dioxide, which is a gas that traps heat and causes the planet to warm. This is why the Amazon rainforest is often called “the lungs of the world.” It helps clean the air by taking in carbon dioxide.

Ironically, while Brazil is preparing to host the COP30 climate conference this year in the Amazon, parts of the forest are being cut down to build a highway for the event. This means that while the world talks about protecting forests and fighting climate change, thousands of hectares of forest are being destroyed. This seems very hypocritical and sad.

However, the report also has some good news. Indonesia and Malaysia, for example, saw a drop in forest loss. This is a big step forward for these countries.

Even in places with big problems, like Bolivia, there are examples of success. Bolivia had the second highest amount of forest lost last year. But in some areas controlled by indigenous people, programs have almost stopped fires completely. They used early warning systems and strict land use rules to protect these forests.

What else can be done? Many fires are not caused by nature or climate change but by people. For example, fires in the Amazon linked to land clearing are started by humans.

Because of this, people need to be trained on how to quickly respond to fires. They should also learn ways to manage land that do not involve setting fires, which often cause the problem.

The use of AI to monitor forests will grow in the future. But the most important thing is that governments worldwide must keep their promises to stop and reverse forest loss by 2030.

This will be a big topic at the next UN climate conference (UNFCCC COP30), which will take place in the Amazon. Leaders will discuss how to better manage deforestation and protect forests in the years ahead.

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