Identifying changes in firebreak lines

Embodiments of the invention are directed to detecting changes to a firebreak line in an environment. Aspects include obtaining a reference aerial image of an area of interest and a current aerial image of the area of interest and identifying, based on the reference aerial image, one or more firebreak lines in the area of interest. Aspects also include identifying, based on a comparison of the reference aerial image and the current aerial image, an anomaly in at least one of the one or more firebreak lines. Aspects further include transmitting an alert, based on detecting the anomaly, the alert including an indication of the detected anomaly.

BACKGROUND

The present invention generally relates to monitoring firebreak lines, and more specifically, to monitoring firebreak lines in an environment to detect changes to the firebreak lines.

A firebreak line is an area of land between planting areas and forests that has been thinned, i.e., has had the vegetation removed in the area. Firebreak lines are configured to prevent the spread of a fire by removing the fuel for a fire in the area. Once a firebreak line has been created, the firebreak line needs to keep clean, i.e., free of fuel for a potential fire. Monitoring firebreak lines are traditionally performed by people manually inspecting the firebreak lines on a periodic basis. Currently, either at a local or national level, there is a lack of human resources to manually monitor and patrol thousands of kilometers in fire break lines.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a computer-implemented method for detecting changes to a firebreak line. A non-limiting example of the computer-implemented method includes obtaining a reference aerial image of an area of interest and a current aerial image of the area of interest and identifying, based on the reference aerial image, one or more firebreak lines in the area of interest. The method also includes identifying, based on a comparison of the reference aerial image and the current aerial image, an anomaly in at least one of the one or more firebreak lines. The method further includes transmitting an alert, based on detecting the anomaly, the alert including an indication of the detected anomaly.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system for detecting changes to a firebreak line. A non-limiting example of the system includes a processor communicative coupled to a memory, the processor configured to obtain a reference aerial image of an area of interest and a current aerial image of the area of interest and identify, based on the reference aerial image, one or more firebreak lines in the area of interest. The processor is also configured to identify, based on a comparison of the reference aerial image and the current aerial image, an anomaly in at least one of the one or more firebreak lines. The processor is further configured to transmit an alert, based on detecting the anomaly, the alert including an indication of the detected anomaly.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a computer program product for detecting changes to a firebreak line, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions are executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method. A non-limiting example of the method includes obtaining a reference aerial image of an area of interest and a current aerial image of the area of interest and identifying, based on the reference aerial image, one or more firebreak lines in the area of interest. The method also includes identifying, based on a comparison of the reference aerial image and the current aerial image, an anomaly in at least one of the one or more firebreak lines. The method further includes transmitting an alert, based on detecting the anomaly, the alert including an indication of the detected anomaly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Characteristics are as follows:

Deployment Models are as follows:

Referring toFIG.3, there is shown an embodiment of a processing system300for implementing the teachings herein. In this embodiment, the system300has one or more central processing units (processors)21a,21b,21c, etc. (collectively or generically referred to as processor(s)21). In one or more embodiments, each processor21may include a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) microprocessor. Processors21are coupled to system memory34and various other components via a system bus33. Read only memory (ROM)22is coupled to the system bus33and may include a basic input/output system (BIOS), which controls certain basic functions of system300.

FIG.3further depicts an input/output (I/O) adapter27and a network adapter26coupled to the system bus33. I/O adapter27may be a small computer system interface (SCSI) adapter that communicates with a hard disk23and/or tape storage drive25or any other similar component. I/O adapter27, hard disk23, and tape storage device25are collectively referred to herein as mass storage24. Operating system40for execution on the processing system300may be stored in mass storage24. A network adapter26interconnects bus33with an outside network36enabling data processing system300to communicate with other such systems. A screen (e.g., a display monitor)35is connected to system bus33by display adaptor32, which may include a graphics adapter to improve the performance of graphics intensive applications and a video controller. In one embodiment, adapters27,26, and32may be connected to one or more I/O busses that are connected to system bus33via an intermediate bus bridge (not shown). Suitable I/O buses for connecting peripheral devices such as hard disk controllers, network adapters, and graphics adapters typically include common protocols, such as the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI). Additional input/output devices are shown as connected to system bus33via user interface adapter28and display adapter32. A keyboard29, mouse30, and speaker31all interconnected to bus33via user interface adapter28, which may include, for example, a Super I/O chip integrating multiple device adapters into a single integrated circuit.

Thus, as configured inFIG.3, the system300includes processing capability in the form of processors21, storage capability including system memory34and mass storage24, input means such as keyboard29and mouse30, and output capability including speaker31and display35. In one embodiment, a portion of system memory34and mass storage24collectively store an operating system to coordinate the functions of the various components shown inFIG.3.

Turning now to a more detailed description of aspects of the present invention, methods, systems, and computer program products for detecting changes to a firebreak line are provided. In exemplary embodiments, aerial images of an area of interest that includes one or more firebreak lines are obtained and analyzed to identify the one or more firebreak lines in the area of interest. Once a firebreak line has been identified, newly received images of the area of interest are compared to previously received images of the area of interest to detect any changes to the firebreak line. Based on detecting a change in a firebreak line, an alert is created and transmitted to a user to alert the user of the detected change. In exemplary embodiments, the alert includes a series of images that illustrate the detected change in the firebreak line.

In one embodiment, the aerial images are obtained by a drone flying over the area of interest. In another embodiment, the aerial images are obtained via a satellite. In exemplary embodiments, aerial images of the area of interest are obtained periodically, such as once a day, once a week, for a long period of time, i.e., over multiple years. In exemplary embodiments, continuous monitoring of firebreak lines is used to detect changes to firebreak lines and to determine if the changes are the result of malicious behavior of individuals manipulating firebreak lines of the changes are due to natural cause changes. Firebreak lines are a practice from fire protection engineering, which aim to protect virgin forests from wild or malicious fire.

In one embodiment, one or more firebreak lines are identified using image processing techniques to detect firebreak lines by identifying an area of land that has been cleared at the border of a forest or cultivated land. In exemplary embodiments, the firebreak lines, and changes thereto, are identified using image recognition to detect differences in contrasts, color analysis, and image analysis of the same region at different times. In other embodiments, one or more firebreak lines are manually identified by a user.

Referring now toFIG.4a flow diagram of a method400for detecting changes to a firebreak line according to one or more embodiments of the invention is shown. As illustrated at block402, the method400includes obtaining a reference aerial image of an area of interest and a current aerial image of the area of interest. Next, as shown at block404, the method400includes identifying, based on the reference aerial image, one or more firebreak lines in the area of interest. In exemplary embodiments, the firebreak lines are identified using image recognition to detect differences in contrasts, color analysis, and image analysis. The method400also includes identifying, based on a comparison of the reference aerial image and the current aerial image, an anomaly in at least one of the one or more firebreak lines, as shown in block406. The method400concludes a block408by transmitting an alert, based on detecting the anomaly, the alert including an indication of the detected anomaly. In exemplary embodiments, the alert includes a series of images of the area of interest and at least one of the series of images includes an annotation of the area of the firebreak line that includes the detected anomaly.

In one embodiment, the alert also includes an indication of the cause of the detected anomaly that was identified, i.e., a natural cause or human intervention. The cause may be determined based on the nature and time duration over which the anomaly was identified. In exemplary embodiments, the alert indicates that the anomaly is a one of a change to an existing firebreak line, an absence of one or more previously existing firebreak lines, or a newly detected firebreak line. In one embodiment, the alerts are provided to forestry management experts associated with the area of interest, which are responsible for reviewing the alerts, inspecting the firebreak lines, and instructing owners of the land to take the appropriate actions to make the firebreak line in compliance with local regulations. In exemplary embodiments, the detection of new firebreak lines can indicate illegal deforestation, i.e., that a farm is illegally advancing into the forest.

In an exemplary embodiment, when no anomaly is detected between a reference image and a current image of the area of interest, the firebreak definitions are in compliance and no warnings are generated. In these cases, a most recently captured image of the area of interest is saved and used as a new reference image as it contains new firebreak definitions that will be considered on future analysis of the corresponding area.

Referring now toFIG.5a flow diagram of a method500for comparing aerial images of an area to identify an anomaly in a firebreak according to one or more embodiments of the invention is shown. As illustrated at block502, the method500includes obtaining a reference aerial image of an area of interest and a current aerial image of the area of interest.FIG.6depicts a reference aerial image600of an area of interest having a firebreak line according to embodiments of the invention. Next, as shown at block504, the method500includes modifying the reference aerial image by inverting a color balance and reducing the opacity by fifty percent.FIG.7depicts a modified reference aerial image700having an inverted color balance and reduced opacity according to one or more embodiments of the invention. The method500also includes creating a delta image by superimposing the current aerial image over the modified reference aerial image, as shown at block506.FIG.8depicts a delta image800, i.e., the reference aerial image superimposed on the modified reference aerial image, according to one or more embodiments of the invention. The method500concludes at block508by identifying, based on the delta image, an anomaly in at least one of the one or more firebreak lines.

Technical benefits of detecting changes to a firebreak line include increasing the amount of land that can be monitored for compliance with firebreak regulations by utilizing continuous collection and automated analysis of aerial images collected over a long period of time. By automating the analysis of aerial images and using continuous collection compliance with firebreak regulations are monitored to prevent illegal deforestation and to reduce the risk to property posed by improperly maintained firebreak lines.