HELENA — NorthWestern Energy says newly installed cameras helped community members keep an eye on the recent Jericho Mountain Fire.
The company announced last year that it was installing cameras across the state, intended to help identify wildfires as early as possible. The cameras use AI to try to separate smoke plumes from dust and clouds.
NorthWestern said in a news release that its camera on MacDonald Pass had brought another benefit: allowing residents near the Jericho Mountain Fire to monitor it without having to go into closure areas.
“For the public to be able to view the fires is really beneficial,” Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest public affairs officer Chiara Cipriano said in a statement included in the release. “Many times, people are curious about what a specific fire is doing and they want to drive closer to the fire area to get a view. During the Jericho Mountain fire, for example, people were able to see a live feed of what the fire was doing without actually having to go to near the location. This helps reduce traffic in the area and keep members of the public and firefighters safe.”
The utility currently has 10 of the cameras active around Montana and is looking to add more, working with authorities to plan for new locations.
If you’d like to see the live feeds from the current cameras, they’re available here.
