[LoginTech] How Google Maps Enabled Wildfire Flames and Evacuation Routes to Be Known... How Was It Possible?

Visualizing Rural Wildfires with NASA Data
Google's 'FireSat' Project to Detect Small Fires
Naver and Kakao Enhance Community Features for Wildfire Response

Google Maps has detailed the flames and evacuation routes of the worst wildfire ever recorded in the Yeongnam region down to the neighborhood alley level. From the start of the wildfire on the 21st until it was extinguished on the 30th, it precisely showed the movement and extent of the fire spreading across Uiseong, Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang, and Yeongdeok in Gyeongbuk Province. Using Google Maps, one could instantly grasp how far the flames reached within the mountains, villages, national roads, and even inside neighborhoods, which roads were blocked, and where to evacuate.

Google Map (left) and Naver Map (right) showing the large wildfire area in the Yeongnam region. Google Map displays the movement and extent of the fire with relatively precise detail.

The background enabling this 'visualization of disaster' is Google's 'Wildfire Layer' technology. A Google representative stated on the 31st, "Based on thermal detection data from satellites collected by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), we track wildfire boundaries and containment status," adding, "Deep learning-based artificial intelligence (AI) technology is applied to mark fire-affected areas on the map." Wildfires occurring in Korea are also detected using the 'Chollian Satellite 2A.' Launched in December 2018, this geostationary meteorological satellite observes the Korean Peninsula every 2 minutes, providing information on wildfires, typhoons, heavy rain, and yellow dust. Private companies can also receive real-time satellite data upon request to the Korea Meteorological Industry Institute.

Unlike Google Maps, domestic map services such as Naver and Kakao only marked fire-affected areas over place names and provided road control information. Instead, they served as communities for real-time sharing of wildfire news. On Naver's weather page, the reporting section '#산불' conveyed detailed wildfire situations with messages like "Does anyone know news from OO-ri?" and "OO-dong is fine now." On KakaoTalk open chat, tags like '#산불' and '#Gyeongsangbuk-do' appeared under 'Trending Open Chats,' where users asked and answered questions in the 'Nationwide Wildfire Spread, Current Situation Sharing' area. A tech industry insider said, "Domestic companies also use satellite data in their map services, but the available satellite data is more limited than Google's, and there are practical limitations in AI technology to implement this on maps."

Meanwhile, Google is also advancing a satellite project called 'FireSat' to enable early response before wildfires grow large. While existing satellite data could only detect large fires, data from FireSat is designed to detect small fire spots as small as 25㎡?the size of a classroom?within 20 minutes. This satellite successfully entered orbit after its launch on the 17th and is currently undergoing research and development (R&D) for commercialization.