As fires blaze across California, local and federal officials see hope in providing more real-time information.
Google announced Thursday that it is updating Maps and Search for detailed information on the size, boundaries and locations of US fires.
“We’ve seen a bad uptick in fires,” said Google’s Ruha Devanesan.
On Wednesday alone, more than 90 fires burned in California and officials ordered the evacuation of tens of thousands of people. Twenty-six fires were bad enough to call for state help.
“We’re all on edge,” said Abby Browning, head of the Private Sector Cooperation Office at the California Office of Emergency Services. “We do not know what will happen, and the best we can ask is information.”
Google’s new features come as the company increasingly aims to centralize information about its own properties instead of directing users to third-party websites.
As one of the largest data collectors in the world, Google is positioned to have the most comprehensive view of geographic circumstances. The company said it uses satellite data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Google’s planetary scaling platform Google Earth.
With the new features, users searching for the name of a wildfire will see official updates. An “Affected Area” section will display a map of the boundaries of a fire. When users click on the map, it will direct them to Google Maps, which will show roadblocks and warnings as they approach an active fire, the company says.
The update also provides air quality updates and safety tips from the American Red Cross for affected regions.
Public-private partnerships
Google’s new features also come as federal and local agencies partner with private companies including Google to gather information on disaster relief surfaces, ranging from earthquakes to the coronavirus.
The company and Browning said they hope to expand the features.
“We’ve had conversations about incorporating Google team members into operations centers to better connect with our teams,” Browning said. “We are working with Cal Fire and federal partners, and we are using that now, but it will grow.”
Google also displays more immediate information such as evacuation warnings as available from local authorities through its “SOS Alert” features. However, it does not show any evacuation zones in the actual boundary maps, the company said.
“The public-private partnership could not have come at a better time,” Browning said, adding that other tech partners have tried to create software solutions without seeking official input. “One of the hardest issues we deal with is misinformation,” she said. “We are very grateful that Google came to us to ask for our suggestions and thoughts for the information.”
Google executives said they hope to expand it worldwide. This year, the National Interagency Fire Center has predicted an above-average fire risk in the US
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