A new AI-powered bushfire detection camera has been switched on at Mount Crawford Forest, bringing technology that has identified nearly 90 unplanned fires in the Limestone Coast to one of the most fire-prone areas on Adelaide’s doorstep.
The camera is the first of its kind to operate in a peri-urban area in South Australia, where forests, farmland, businesses and residential communities sit close together. It will monitor a section of the southern Barossa and northern Adelaide Hills ahead of the 2026–27 fire danger season.
Installed on an upgraded fire tower within ForestrySA’s Mount Crawford estate, the system captures ultra-high-definition panoramic vision and combines artificial intelligence, satellite technology and human verification to identify potential smoke and fire activity.
The technology, delivered by Pano AI, provides real-time alerts and information about a fire’s location, behaviour and proximity to people, assets and firefighting resources. The aim is to give emergency services and land managers earlier information so they can make more informed decisions about their response.
The Mount Crawford installation builds on eight AI-powered cameras already operating across the Limestone Coast forestry region. Over the past three fire danger seasons, that network has detected nearly 90 unplanned fires, providing valuable intelligence to fire responders.
Minister for Forest Industries Clare Scriven said the new camera would help assess how the technology performs in a more complex environment closer to Adelaide.
“Early detection is one of the most effective tools we have to reduce the impact of bushfires, and this new AI-powered camera will help emergency services identify and respond to threats sooner,” she said.
“Mount Crawford sits at the intersection of forests, primary industries and communities, making it an ideal location to assess how this technology performs in a peri-urban environment.”
The expanded network now includes nine cameras across South Australia, providing early awareness of potential fire ignitions across more than half a million hectares.
ForestrySA Chief Executive Nathan Paine said the camera would help protect the forest estate and its neighbouring communities, while adding to the existing emergency response network.
“This technology complements, rather than replaces, existing detection systems and firefighting resources. It adds another layer of capability to the strong network already provided by emergency services, including the Mount Lofty Fire Tower and other fire detection and response assets,” he said.
Mount Crawford is a significant working forest as well as a popular recreational destination, with ForestrySA’s forests welcoming almost one million visitors each year. The new camera will provide an opportunity to evaluate early detection across a landscape that includes plantations, native vegetation, farms, infrastructure and homes.
The activation comes as the State Government continues to explore the role of artificial intelligence in public services, including through its planned Royal Commission into Artificial Intelligence.
Dates for the 2026–27 fire danger season will be announced by the Country Fire Service at a later date. South Australians can find current fire warnings, incidents and preparation advice by clicking here.
