Axis protects the Campo dei Fiori natural park to prevent fires

Three cameras in the series Axis Q6225-LE allow you to cover a large part of this park, located near the city of Varese, thanks to its high zoom capability and integration with the Security Center VMS of Genetec.

The authority of the Campo dei Fiori Regional Natural Park required a solid security system, that would allow the protection of the environment and its inhabitants, since the obsolete analogue surveillance system did not respond to the needs that were required. This is why the existing analogue infrastructure has been replaced by a solution based on Axis digital technology.

The Campo dei Fiori Regional Natural Park is a public law body located a few kilometres north of the city of Varese (Italy).

Established by Regional Law. 17 of 19 March 1984 and expanded by 2009, extends over approximately 6.300 hectares of land in 17 municipalities and two mountain communities in the province of Varese. Its geographical location and geological characteristics have favoured the development of a very diverse vegetation, with areas rich in fauna. Important historical-architectural presences include the complex of the sacred mount of Varese (Classified as a Unesco World Heritage Site), the Gran Hotel, Art Nouveau Villas, the abbey of Ganna and the Rocca di Orino.

In October 2017, A violent fire raged in the park, leaving behind great devastation. For almost a month, Several outbreaks involved firefighters and Civil Protection agents in a fierce effort to defend the forests, Animals, homes and businesses. More than 350 hectares of forest and the estimated damage exceeded 2.000.000 of euros. Subsequently, In 2019 A new arson devastated some 318 hectares of forest area.

Faced with the threat of increasingly extreme fires due to climate change, the Park authority saw the need to install a robust surveillance system that would protect the park and its inhabitants.

For the Park Authority, It is clear that moving forward with interventions in forests and infrastructure is of crucial importance. It is necessary to respect the environment and take care of the territory with projects and continuity, with a long-term perspective.

It is with this perspective that Maurizio Fratini, CTO of Security Service Red, Axis partner and consultant for the Park authority, proposed to replace the outdated analog surveillance system with an integrated solution composed of Axis network cameras with integrated deep learning modules and Genetec's video management software.

“The Park's authority's need was to have network cameras characterized by powerful zoom and advanced video analysis capabilities, considering the large area to be monitored. A brain was also needed, the cameras that have been installed are designed as IoT sensors, especially considering future scalability”, comments Maurizio Fratini.

The project was carried out in two phases. At first, it opted for proactive monitoring and research and then it was decided to move towards the Predictive Analytics.

The Park Authority has found a solution that meets its needs and appreciates the effectiveness and simplicity of operation, that offers all the flexibility needed to qualify as a best practice for those dealing with wildfires.

With just 3 cameras of the Axis Q6225-LE series, It has been possible to cover a large part of the park area, thanks to the high zoom capability and integration with the Security Center VMS de Genetec. The remote control room has two monitors, one that shows the map of the park and the other that transmits images from the camera.

This built-in configuration uses metadata to allow operators to react to potential risk situations, identifying their exact position for further examination. The high quality of the images also makes it easy to use video images for research purposes, to analyze after the event where and how the fire developed.

Among the priorities that have been committed to in a second phase is prevention to limit and seek to contain and eliminate events such as forest fires that would compromise the mountain ecosystem, impacting a heritage of great naturalistic importance.

Human intervention was also reinforced with innovative technologies, carrying out territorial surveillance with optical systems that allow the observation of a wide territory even remotely.

Deep learning modules built into the cameras pave the way for the system to detect and deliver crucial insights for predictive analytics. The cameras learn the stable conditions of the forest and, with dedicated analytics, simulate potential risk situations based on changes.

In this sense, Evaluations of three different scenarios are currently underway, with the aim of selecting the optimal solutions for each context and validating them at a technical-scientific level. The intention of the Park's agency is to become a point of reference, A good practice to be followed by other institutions interested in the prevention and protection of the territory.

An additional added value has been given with the activation of tablets for the mobile units and for the directors of Fire Fighting Operations, in order to have real-time information on the situation and evolution of possible fires but also as a prevention analysis tool.

“Since the most dangerous fire is the one that is not seen, that develops underground and is technically called 'root to root', In the future, the possibility of adding thermal cameras to the system is being considered, which would allow you to receive an alarm. if the soil temperature was out of the normal”, Says
Maurizio Fratini.

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