Firefighters will get extra help from AI-powered bushfire cameras this summer after a state government pledged to add more cameras to the network.
Victoria's Rural and Regional Development Minister Michaela Settle said on Monday that $3.8 million would be spent on increasing the network from seven to 11 cameras by November 2027.
The announcement comes as the country's southeast braces for a summer with high bushfire risk, driven by a supercharged El Niño weather system.
"These AI-powered cameras will spot fires earlier, giving firefighters more time to respond and keep communities safe," Ms Settle said in a statement.
The project, jointly funded with Hancock Victorian Plantations and Green Triangle Fire Alliance, provides a "24-hour digital lookout" that scans for signs of fire then alerts authorities.
The existing cameras detected 40 fires during 2023/24 and 46 fires in 2024/25, according to the state government.
Emergency Services Minister Paul Edbrooke said more cameras, to be installed on private plantations, would help give emergency services more time to tackle risks.
“Every minute counts when a bushfire starts, and this expanded camera network will give our emergency services the information they need to act quickly, respond earlier and help keep Victorians safe," Mr Edbrooke said.
Australians have been warned that potentially devastating bushfires could hit early this year due to below-average rainfall creating dry, fire-prone conditions.
Victoria's far east has been identified as particularly vulnerable along with large swaths of southeast Queensland, northeastern Tasmania, Western Australia, and South Australia.
In Victoria, recovery from bushfires that ravaged parts of the state in January is still ongoing.
The fires were the worst to hit the state since the Black Summer blazes of 2019-2020 that killed 33 people.
