Predator Ridge is Canada’s first residential and resort community to enhance its wildfire safety measures by implementing comprehensive fire detection and predictive analysis technology after a successful two-year pilot with the City of Vernon and Vernon Fire Rescue Services
SenseNet: Rapid Wildfire Detection
VERNON, CANADA, July 04, 2024 – SenseNet, a Vancouver-based company providing the most comprehensive, rapid wildfire detection solution on the market, announced today that Predator Ridge, one of Canada’s leading four-season resort communities, has commercially installed the company’s advanced technology integrating advanced sensors, AI algorithms, and real-time data analysis to provide highly accurate and early alerts to wildfire.
The installation follows the successful conclusion of a two-year pilot project with the City of Vernon – in cooperation with Vernon Fire Rescue Services – where Predator Ridge was one of the test sites. Throughout the pilot, the SenseNet technology underwent extensive testing, consistently demonstrating remarkable accuracy and speed in providing real-time data essential for deploying emergency response and protecting public safety.
“We are proud to be taking the lead on fire protection by partnering with SenseNet to become the first residential and resort community to enhance wildfire safety measures,” says Brad Pelletier, Senior Vice President, Predator Ridge. “The integrity of SenseNet’s solution can help protect our Predator Ridge community and natural environment from a potential wildfire crisis through reliable and advanced wildfire monitoring to detect the earliest signs of wildfire and deploy the quickest response. Investing in SenseNet technology is a testament to our commitment to the safety and well-being of our residents. We are setting a new standard in residential safety by proactively addressing the growing threat of wildfires in our region.”
“In today’s environment, local governments need to be proactive to effectively protect our communities from the devastating effects of forest fires,” says Chief Lind, Director of Fire Rescue Services for the City of Vernon. “Cooperative efforts with the public, other levels of government, community minded developers like Predator Ridge, and with our neighbours from the Okanagan Indian Band move the needle forward on building a more fire resilient region. Regional cooperation and a whole of society approach is key for building resiliency and reducing risks. Everyone has a role to play.”
“It’s our passion to partner with progressive communities like Predator Ridge, as well as forward-looking fire departments, cities like Vernon, and First Nations’ communities like the Okanagan Indian Band, to protect residents, the environment and precious ecosystems by advancing technology for detection, response and management of increasingly severe wildfires,” says Hamed Noori, CEO and Co-founder of SenseNet, “Our proven integrated solution is unique in the world in terms of detection, speed and accuracy and can detect fires even in their smouldering phases when there is no flame or smoke signature. SenseNet allows municipalities and remote communities to safeguard their communities and assets with an integrated solution.”
Predator Ridge has installed a comprehensive network of 100 sensors, five gateways and five cameras around the entire perimeter of the resort providing early wildfire detection using gas sensing and thermal imaging; 24/7 monitoring and management through Vernon Fire Rescue Services and Emergency Management; comprehensive coverage with 360-degree views enabling AI-driven smoke detection; and, data-driven response integrating AI with data from the sensors, cameras, satellites and weather inputs, enabling advanced, rapid detection and predictive analysis of wildfire behaviour.
In 2023, BC experienced the most destructive wildfire season in British Columbia’s recorded history, with more than 2.84 million hectares of forest and land burned and tens of thousands of people forced to evacuate. There are currently 86 active wildfires burning in BC. According to Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests, the province will continue to experience drought and a higher risk of wildfires, due to a welcomed slow start to the wildfire season in the province.
Located near Vernon, B.C., Predator Ridge is a world-class resort community, situated on over 1300 acres of a natural landscape of desert-like grasslands bordered by hillsides covered with ponderosa pine forests. Due to the natural topography, the North Okanagan region, including Predator Ridge, experiences a higher wildfire risk during periods of extreme heat, drought, air quality and lightning, which is common in similar climates.
SenseNet was founded in response to the unfortunate frequency and devastation of wildfires in British Columbia. The SenseNet technology uses sensors strategically placed to constantly collect data on the chemical composition of the air, temperature, and humidity to detect environmental irregularities. Invisible gases can be detected in under a minute, and AI algorithms examine information uploaded from the sensors to triangulate the exact location of the anomaly. Real-time data is communicated through a gateway to smoke detection cameras which can zoom in on potential locations. If the camera detects smoke or wildfire activity, an alert is sent via email or text to notify fire departments or emergency responders immediately. If the fire persists, satellite images of the fire are pulled onto the software which are analyzed by AI algorithms to output information on the size of the fire, the direction it is travelling, how fast it is moving, and the extent of the burned area. This intelligence is extremely beneficial for authorities to respond to wildfires, including planning for evacuations and suppression. 
