Google Maps now alert the forest fires using real-time satellite data. It has introduced a new wildfire layer to the navigation service for users to know the forest fires. Users can get details about multiple fires at once, allowing them to make quick, informed decisions during times of emergency. It provides quick links to emergency services in Maps to the fire nearby to save precious time in an emergency which includes emergency websites, phone numbers for help and information, evacuation details, containment, acres burned, and the timestamp of reports.
The wildfire layer itself will be powered by satellite data to help users in real-time. This layer has more information thanks to the data from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). The new Address Maker app gets individuals and organisations to use Google’s open-source system called Plus Codes to create “unique, functioning addresses at scale, right from an Android app. Address Maker allows organizations to easily assign addresses and add missing roads, all while making sure they work seamlessly in Google Maps and Maps APIs,” Google said in a recent blog post.
The company is expanding its Tree Canopy insights tool from 15 US cities to over 100 new cities include London, Sydney, and Toronto. It uses aerial imagery and advanced AI capabilities to identify places in a city that are at the greatest risk of experiencing rapidly rising temperatures.
“These places, known as heat islands, disproportionately impact lower-income communities and contribute to some public health concerns — from poor air quality to dehydration. Tree Canopy data, local governments have free access to insights about where to plant trees to increase shade, reduce heat and mitigate these adverse effects”.
