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Austin Energy expands Pano AI camera network for 24/7 smoke detection across Travis County
Summary
Austin Energy briefed the Technology Commission on Pano AI, a camera‑and‑AI smoke detection system now covering the utility's service territory and most of Travis County. The system is integrated with 911 and Austin Fire Department for situational awareness and is being refined for privacy, data retention and improved smoke classification.
Austin Energy on June 11 told the City of Austin Technology Commission it has deployed Pano AI cameras across its service territory and much of Travis County to detect smoke and provide early situational awareness to emergency responders and the utility.
Pano AI "is basically a full turnkey, smoke detection system," Austin Energy wildfire mitigation manager Chris Fechmiel said, describing a network of cameras, machine learning and a human verification center that sends alerts by text or email. The system, Fechmiel said, provides Austin Energy and the Austin Fire Department with camera views, triangulated GPS locations and analytic data that can help determine whether a reported incident is a structure fire, a prescribed burn or a wildland fire.
Fechmiel said the utility began championing the project in late 2022, held a kickoff in November 2023, activated an initial camera on March 13, 2024, and completed the full system in August 2024. The network now comprises 13 stations (26 cameras) positioned to give double coverage of Austin Energy's 430-square-mile service territory and to triangulate smoke locations that bleed into much of…
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