Halifaxs AI surveillance system inactive for new wildfire season and the public wasnt told [Video]

Halifax has been without an AI wildfire surveillance system since October when the pilot project ended.

For residents who were directly impacted by the Tantallon wildfires and for councillors in districts in which these towers were located, this is the first time they’re hearing the program is offline.

“It’s a bit of a dangerous time to maybe not have all things focused on the task at hand,” said Richard O’Fegan, Westwood Hills Residents Association president.

He says he was excited when he first heard about the FireScout pilot program that ran from March until October 2024.

O’Fegan viewed it as a step in the right direction for wildfire prevention, especially after his community was burned down in the 2023 Tantallon wildfire.

He’s now disappointed to hear the program was quietly paused.

“We’re not approaching anytime soon that there’ll be less wildfires that occur, so investments in that area and really communicating to the greater community of what the efforts are …