Google Maps tracks global warming with the new “Fire” layer and tree cover tool

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Google Maps is getting some new features to help people better understand our planet on fire. Ars Technica Reports: The first is a new “fire” layer in the main map view, which will allow you to visualize the exact boundaries of a fire as easily as you can search for current traffic patterns. Google has already provided information on fires as part of the “Crisis Response” website, but with climate change making “Fire Season” an annual event in arid areas such as Australia and the Western United States, wildfires will now be a top-level feature of Maps.

Google says the new fire layer will bring together “all of Google’s bushfire information” in one simple interface. In the US, it will also collect data from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), and the company says it plans to expand details on the fires with other government agencies, starting with Australia in the “coming months.” Fire boundaries are expected to be updated on an hourly basis, and Google says you’ll be able to tap a fire to view information from local governments, such as “emergency websites, phone numbers for assistance and information, and evacuation details. When available. , you can also see important details about the fire, such as its containment, how many acres burned and when all this information was last reported. ” The fire layout will roll out to Android this week, with iOS and desktop coming in October.

Google also announced that it will expand the Tree Canopy tool launched in 2020. This Google Maps tool combines Google’s plethora of aerial imagery with artificial vision artificial intelligence to generate a map showing tree cover in cities. Today’s announced expansion will increase Tree Canopy imagery from 15 cities to 100 cities worldwide. Google wants planners to use the Tree Canopy tool to combat urban heat island phenomena, where miles of asphalt and a scarcity of shade from trees can cause cities to be significantly warmer than surrounding areas. Google says heat islands “have a disproportionate impact on low-income communities and contribute to a range of public health problems, from poor air quality to dehydration. With data from Tree Canopy, local governments have free access. to information on where to plant trees to increase shade, reduce heat and mitigate these negative effects. ”

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