An innovative project to protect our forests
On July 8, 2025, our geomatics team set out on the 164-kilometer Route 212 to reach the community of Opitciwan. Our mission? To climb to the summit of Mt. Tchikatnaw with a precious 20-pound box!
Thanks to the expertise of two technicians from Télésignal, a high-definition camera was installed at the top of the telecommunications tower. This camera is much more than just an optical eye: it will detect any suspicious smoke linked to a forest fire, providing a rapid alert in the first minutes of a fire. This technological advance could make all the difference in protecting our forests!
The choice of Mt. Tchikatnaw is not insignificant: this site was once home to a “fire tower,” used for fire surveillance until the late 1970s. It is therefore a wonderful way to combine tradition and innovation, modernizing a place already recognized for this purpose and its strategic view.
And that’s not all! A weather station has also been installed near the community. It will collect local data to better understand climatic conditions and strengthen surveillance of the territory. In addition, the PurpleAir sensors already in place will be used to check air quality, an important indicator of the presence of smoke.
This first installation marks a key milestone in the deployment of the Sentinel Plan project, which aims to strengthen First Nations’ capacity to prevent and manage forest fires. By leveraging technology and Indigenous leadership, the project supports community self-determination and assists communities in responding quickly and effectively to emergencies.
Additional installations and collaborations are planned to expand the boreal forest sentinel network.
