An integrated edge–cloud IoT framework for resilient disaster prevention in fire detection and forest carbon assessment

Humanity’s ongoing overuse of natural resources is degrading the Earth’s environment, intensifying climate change impacts. Recent record temperatures and frequent wildfires threaten humans directly and disrupt ecosystems, especially by damaging forest carbon sinks, which accelerates global warming in a harmful cycle. To combat this, the study developed a forest fire monitoring and management system using Internet of Things (IoT) technology. The system consists of four layers: (1) The sensing layer collects environmental data—meteorological, air quality, images, and thermal imaging—to detect fires early. It uses image recognition to identify flames and smoke, cross-checking with real-time weather data to reduce false alarms. (2) The transmission layer utilizes 4G networks for high-bandwidth, real-time data and image transfer. (3) The application layer provides real-time images, satellite monitoring maps, and field sensor data for forest management needs. (4) The power supply layer adapts to different environments, using solar energy and batteries outdoors and grid electricity indoors. Testing shows the system achieves 84.4% average precision in object detection and only 0.45% average error in infrared temperature measurement. Integrating satellite images and geographic information system data allows precise mapping of fire impact zones and severity. This innovative IoT-based forest fire system is vital for early detection and enhanced wildfire management, offering a powerful tool to help preserve ecological balance and address climate change effectively.