Italian tower operator Inwit has extended its partnership with the civil defense organization Legambiente to better prepare for forest fires.

Inwit said it has deployed smart cameras, integrated with AI software atop its telecom towers to detect fires during the early stages.

The two companies have installed the technology in parts of Abruzzo, a region in southern Italy.

The threat of wildfires during the summer months in parts of Italy is strong, with seven people killed in Sicily last year, amid 47°C (116°F) temperatures.

According to Inwit, the first territories involved in this new phase are the Abruzzo municipalities of Pescasseroli, within the Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park, and Pettorano sul Gizio in the Monte Genzana Alto Gizio Regional Nature Reserve, where the technology has been installed.

It said it would extend its deployment to Lecceta di Torino di Sangro Regional Nature Reserve (CH), the Bosco Don Venanzio Nature Reserve in Pollutri (CH), and the Municipality of Civitella Roveto (AQ) to monitor the Longagna area, next month.

Inwit's five towers within these territories will be equipped with a total of five gateways and nine smart cameras.

The company notes that the location at the top of the towers 'ensures a preferential position allowing the area under observation to be maximized.'

Inwit adds that the observation radius is on average 2 km around the location point, but in certain cases can extend to 5 km, covering a maximum area of around 80 sq km.

"The environmental and fire monitoring projects we are carrying out are a concrete example of the integration of sustainability into our business," said Michelangelo Suigo, head of external relations, communication, and sustainability at Inwit.

"The implementation of these activities confirms the value for the territory and the role of our digital and shared infrastructures which, in addition to enabling operators’ 4G and 5G, can also host different technologies, offering more integrated and innovative services which are also capable of making an active contribution to the protection of the environment and biodiversity."

A devastating wildfire is currently raging in northern California, reportedly burning through 5,000 acres every hour, notes the BBC.

More than 3,700 firefighters are currently tackling the blaze.

Last week, a 42-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of starting the fire by rolling a burning car into a gully near Alligator Hole in Butte County.