Cowlitz County to lease Pano AI tower cameras for landfill fire detection; seeks mobile on‑fill detection unit

Cowlitz County public works staff told commissioners Tuesday they plan to execute a five‑year lease for Pano AI tower‑mounted cameras to detect landfill fires and to move forward on related landfill gas control and monitoring contracts.

Sean Roey, public works, described the tower‑based Pano system as a macro‑scale fire detection tool primarily for the county landfill. Roey said the system’s coverage would extend across much of the Silver Lake Valley and, on some parts of the map, to areas west of I‑5. The county’s cost for the Pano lease is $40,000 per year on a five‑year term, Roey said; the lease matches the term used for the tower lease with Weyerhaeuser.

Public works staff also noted two complementary steps: a micro‑scale on‑fill heat‑detection unit (a mobile skid/skid‑mounted sensor that can be moved across the fill to detect hot spots) and previously awarded landfill gas work. Anna Lunde said the bid for the on‑fill micro units produced no responsive offers, so staff solicited updated pricing from a vendor and will return with recommendations.

Separately, staff confirmed execution of a contract with Glacier Environmental Services for the headboards landfill gas collection and control system (an item awarded at a prior meeting). Staff characterized the Glacier award as the contract execution of an earlier board authorization.

Commissioners asked whether the county is buying or leasing equipment; staff said the Pano arrangement is a five‑year lease and the micro detection unit would be procured separately (staff said the micro unit functions like a mobile detector that can be carted on a skid steer and has an alarm feature to alert staff to hot spots before they escalate).

Ending: Staff said they will bring the micro detection pricing and the final Pano contract for execution; crews and staff will begin integration work once contracts are finalized.