EcoFireX: An Integrated IoT Solution for Forest Fire Detection

Forest fires have been a long-standing concern in India, as they have a devastating impact on the environment, wildlife, and natural resources. According to the Forest Survey of India (FSI), about 54% [1] of India's woods are subject to sporadic fires. Many factors, such as natural causes like lightning or human-made factors like negligence, accidents, or even arson, can lead to these fires. Recent events, like the Bandipur forest fire in Karnataka, show that forest fires can have serious repercussions. The ecosystem was severely harmed by the fire, which burned for five days and destroyed about 15,443.27 acres of forest area[2]. Seven persons perished in the fire, which also presented a threat to human life. According to wildlife officials, most of the harm was done to tiny animals and reptiles. The tragedy emphasizes the value of early discovery and preventative measures to limit larger-scale damage. To address this concern, an IoT-based fire detector system is proposed in this paper, which employs various sensors such as DHT sensor, flame sensor, and MQ135 sensor, along with an alarming system. The sensors are connected to the Arduino UNO microcontroller, which collects data and calculates the intensity of the fire using a proposed formula. If the intensity exceeds a predefined threshold, an alerting mechanism is activated, and the data is transmitted to the cloud for analysis using graphical widgets and graphs. The suggested approach offers a number of benefits, including real-time monitoring, early detection, and prompt mitigation of forest fire damage. The method also offers insightful information about how forest fires alter the ecology, which is helpful for managing and conserving forests. The importance of IoT-based solutions in tackling the issue of forest fires is highlighted throughout this paper, and it also underlines the demand for proactive steps to safeguard the environment and natural resources.