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Victoria has just experienced another challenging bushfire season. Communities across the state have felt the impact from the Upper Murray to the Otways, with lives disrupted, businesses affected, and landscapes scarred. The recent Parliamentary Inquiry into the 2025–26 summer fires has again reinforced a central truth: while we cannot prevent every fire, we can do far more to detect and respond to them earlier. That is where technology must play a bigger role. The Victorian Forest Products Association is calling on all sides of politics to support a practical, proven solution — investment in an expanded network of AI-enabled bushfire detection cameras across the state. This is not a theoretical concept. It is already working. Industry has funded and deployed a pilot network of cameras powered by PANO AI in the Green Triangle – the western part of Victoria which is home to vast amounts of plantations used for housing, which has demonstrated real, measurable results. These cameras act like “smoke detectors for the bush”, scanning 24/7 across a radius of more than 20 kilometres and providing real-time intelligence to fire agencies and land managers. Over the past three fire seasons, the system has detected dozens of unplanned fires, in many cases identifying ignition points minutes before other detection sources. Those minutes matter. They are often the difference between a small, contained incident and a major fire event. Examples from recent seasons show exactly what is at stake. At Hotspur in western Victoria, early detection enabled a rapid response that protected hundreds of hectares of plantation — a critical future supply of timber for housing. At Lake Mundi, camera detection triggered an immediate aerial response, containing the fire before it could spread into surrounding assets and farmland. These are not isolated examples. They are proof that early detection works. Importantly, the benefits extend well beyond the timber industry. Up to 85% of the proposed camera coverage is on non-plantation land protecting communities, farms, public assets and the broader environment. This is shared infrastructure for regional Victoria. Yet despite this, Victoria still has significant gaps in coverage including in areas that have recently experienced major bushfires. That is why we are proposing a simple, cost-effective next step: a 50:50 co-investment between the plantation industry and government to expand the network to 18 camera sites across the entire state over three years. The total cost is $3.78 million — with $1.89 million sought from government. In the context of bushfire response and recovery spending, which runs into the hundreds of millions, this is a modest investment with a high return. But it is important to be clear: fire cameras are not a silver bullet. They must sit alongside — not replace — the fundamentals of good land and fire management. Planned burning, well-maintained firebreaks and well-resourced fire fighters remain essential to reducing fire intensity and protecting communities. The recent inquiry has reinforced the need to strengthen these prevention measures, not step away from them. What cameras do is complement these efforts providing earlier detection, better situational awareness, and faster response when fires inevitably start. Put simply, it is far cheaper and far safer to stop a fire early than to fight it once it has taken hold. For the wood fibre industry, the stakes are particularly high. Plantations are long-term assets, taking 25 to 30 years to mature. Once lost to fire, they cannot simply be replaced overnight. Protecting what is already in the ground is essential not just for our industry, but for housing supply, regional jobs, and sovereign manufacturing capability. But this is not about asking government to carry the load alone. Industry is already investing through funding the bushfire camera pilot program, supporting Forest Industry Brigades, and contributing significant resources to fire response on the ground. What we are seeking now is a genuine partnership. Other states have already recognised the value of this technology. South Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania have all committed funding to expand their own fire camera networks, through their governments or government agencies. Victoria should not fall behind. This is a practical, bipartisan opportunity. It supports community safety. It strengthens emergency response. It protects regional economies. And it helps safeguard the timber supply needed to build the homes Victoria will require in the decades ahead. In a policy environment often defined by complex debates and competing priorities, this is a straightforward decision. The technology exists. The evidence is clear. The co-investment model is ready. Now is the time for all sides of politics to back it. Andrew White is the CEO, Victorian Forest Products Association.

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