Latest news with #B.C.WildfireService
The Province
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Province
B.C. wildfire officials call attention to fake AI-generated images. Who's behind them?
"Misinformation is the last thing any of us need during emergencies," said the B.C. Wildfire Service in a social media post highlighting fake images of B.C. fires. Two examples of AI-generated images shared in relation to wildfires near Peachland (left) and Harrison Hot Springs (right). The B.C. Wildfire Service called attention to the fakes this week. An AI-generated image showing a wall of flames advancing toward an Okanagan highway was shared 239 times on Facebook before the B.C. Wildfire Service drew attention to the fake this week. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The image, which appeared on several social media platforms, accompanied a post about the Drought Hill fire near Peachland by someone called Joemar Sombero, who posts content about fires, earthquakes and other natural phenomenon with AI-generated images that seem intended to inspire awe and dread. Another of the AI images showed the Bear Creek fire near Harrison Lake. 'Whether well-intentioned or intentionally misleading, misinformation is the last thing any of us need during emergencies,' said the B.C. Wildfire Service in its own post, which encouraged the public to seek official sources of wildfire and emergency information and turn a 'critical eye to content shared on social media in the heat of the moment.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It was a smart response to a phenomenon that will only increase as artificial intelligence and social media collide in ways that can have real-life consequences, said Muhammad Abdul-Mageed, the Canada Research Chair in natural language processing and machine learning at the University of B.C. The professor said that as AI becomes more sophisticated and accessible, it is becoming 'really challenging' to detect fake images, particularly if you don't look closely or understand the technology. 'It seems to me that these images were not generated with a state-of-the-art model,' he said, pointing out the dramatic colours and dimensions, as well as the 'incredible angle' of the shot, which shows planes and a helicopter battling the blaze. Someone who is familiar with the Okanagan area would also struggle to recognize the terrain. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who focuses on digital forensics and misinformation, said someone might post fake images for several reasons, including 'simple and unapologetic trolling,' as well as the monetary incentive to create viral content. 'I don't know exactly why people do this, but it is sadly predictable' he said. 'During each natural disaster, we see a spread of fake content, most recently in the Texas floods, and before that in the Southern California wildfires.' During the Texas floods, an image of a tearful young girl holding a puppy in a rescue boat spread rapidly. News reports said the AI-generated image was being used to prompt people to give to fake charities. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Abdul-Mageed said the person posting content about the Peachland fire might have been doing it 'lightheartedly'. 'There are people who like these tools and like to play with these tools, who might not have a level of awareness about the broader issues,' he said. But he added that the situation also highlights the potential for a more 'apocalyptic scenario' where adversaries use an automated process to unleash not just one or two fake images, but thousands, in an orchestrated campaign. 'This can only get worse from here,' he said. In its response, B.C. Wildfire Service said the AI images 'do not accurately represent the terrain, fire size or fire behaviour in the area. Someone scrolling past could believe this image is real or accurate when it is not.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The wildfire service encouraged people to 'identify your own trusted sources' before you need them. B.C. Wildfire Service posted two AI-generated images of a wildfire near Peachland. 'Whether well-intentioned or intentionally misleading, misinformation is the last thing any of us need during emergencies,' said the post. Photo by B.C. Wildfire Service A photo of the wildfire near Peachland from last week. The fire is now listed as under control and all evacuation orders have been rescinded. At its peak, the Drought Hill fire burned 57 hectares. Photo by DriveB.C. Abdul-Mageed said organizations, such as the government, must be prepared to respond to increasing misinformation. The public also needs to be informed, particularly as it will soon become even more difficult to tell the difference between real and AI-generated images. 'Stop and think. Don't share,' he said. 'Don't share even to debunk. Report these images to B.C. Wildfire or the proper authorities.' Farid put it more bluntly: 'Nobody in their right mind should be turning to social media for reliable information, and certainly not during an emergency.' Postmedia was unable to reach Joemar Sombero for comment, but he replied to several people who commented on his post to defend the images. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'The images and write-ups I share are AI-generated for illustrative purposes only and are always tagged with a disclaimer,' he wrote. 'My goal is never to sensationalize but to raise awareness about the severity of these events and the impact they have on communities. I understand how important it is to remain sensitive, and I'll continue to be mindful moving forward. Thank you for holding me accountable.' In another reply, he said his goal was not to scare anyone, but to keep them informed and prepared. With 43,000 followers on Facebook, Sombero typically makes several posts per day about disasters and natural phenomenon. While the posts focus on events around the world, a number come from B.C., including a recent post about a bear attack near Creston when a couple out for a bike ride encountered two grizzlies. He has also posted about a wildfire near Harrison Hot Springs, which included another AI-generated fire image without a disclaimer. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The introduction to his Facebook page provides a more general description of Sombero's purpose: 'Sharing random bits of creativity — AI art, nature scenes, and moments that inspire.' He also has an Instagram account. Many of Sombero's posts draw attention to climate change, including a recent one that shows the smoke from Canadian wildfires spilling into the United States. The credited satellite image is from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-3 satellite. 'Canada's wildfire emissions in June and July were already off the charts — now they're climbing even higher,' said the post. 'This isn't just a Canadian crisis. It's a North American emergency.' gluymes@ Read More Vancouver Whitecaps Sports Vancouver Canucks Local News BC Lions
Vancouver Sun
2 days ago
- Science
- Vancouver Sun
B.C. wildfire officials call attention to fake AI-generated images. Who's behind them?
An AI-generated image showing a wall of flames advancing toward an Okanagan highway was shared 239 times on Facebook before the B.C. Wildfire Service drew attention to the fake this week. The image, which appeared on several social media platforms, accompanied a post about the Drought Hill fire near Peachland by someone called Joemar Sombero, who posts content about fires, earthquakes and other natural phenomenon with AI-generated images that seem intended to inspire awe and dread. 'Whether well-intentioned or intentionally misleading, misinformation is the last thing any of us need during emergencies,' said the B.C. Wildfire Service in its own post, which encouraged the public to seek official sources of wildfire and emergency information and turn a 'critical eye to content shared on social media in the heat of the moment.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. It was a smart response to a phenomenon that will only increase as artificial intelligence and social media collide in ways that can have real-life consequences, said Muhammad Abdul-Mageed, the Canada Research Chair in natural language processing and machine learning at the University of B.C. The professor said that as AI becomes more sophisticated and accessible, it is becoming 'really challenging' to detect fake images, particularly if you don't look closely or understand the technology. 'It seems to me that these images were not generated with a state-of-the-art model,' he said, pointing out the dramatic colours and dimensions, as well as the 'incredible angle' of the shot, which shows planes and a helicopter battling the blaze. Someone who is familiar with the Okanagan area would also struggle to recognize the terrain. Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who focuses on digital forensics and misinformation, said someone might post fake images for several reasons, including 'simple and unapologetic trolling,' as well as the monetary incentive to create viral content. 'I don't know exactly why people do this, but it is sadly predictable' he said. 'During each natural disaster, we see a spread of fake content, most recently in the Texas floods, and before that in the Southern California wildfires.' Abdul-Mageed said the person posting content about the Peachland fire might have been doing it 'lightheartedly'. 'There are people who like these tools and like to play with these tools, who might not have a level of awareness about the broader issues,' he said. But he added that the situation also highlights the potential for a more 'apocalyptic scenario' where adversaries use an automated process to unleash not just one or two fake images, but thousands, in an orchestrated campaign. 'This can only get worse from here,' he said. In its response, B.C. Wildfire Service said the AI images 'do not accurately represent the terrain, fire size or fire behaviour in the area. Someone scrolling past could believe this image is real or accurate when it is not.' The wildfire service encouraged people to 'identify your own trusted sources' before you need them. Abdul-Mageed said organizations, such as the government, must be prepared to respond to increasing misinformation. The public also needs to be informed, particularly as it will soon become even more difficult to tell the difference between real and AI-generated images. 'Stop and think. Don't share,' he said. 'Don't share even to debunk. Report these images to B.C. Wildfire or the proper authorities.' Farid put it more bluntly: 'Nobody in their right mind should be turning to social media for reliable information, and certainly not during an emergency.' Postmedia was unable to reach Joemar Sombero for comment, but he replied to several people who commented on his post to defend the images. 'The images and write-ups I share are AI-generated for illustrative purposes only and are always tagged with a disclaimer,' he wrote. 'My goal is never to sensationalize but to raise awareness about the severity of these events and the impact they have on communities. I understand how important it is to remain sensitive, and I'll continue to be mindful moving forward. Thank you for holding me accountable.' In another reply, he said his goal was not to scare anyone, but to keep them informed and prepared. With 43,000 followers on Facebook, Sombero typically makes several posts per day about disasters and natural phenomenon. While the posts focus on events around the world, a number come from B.C., including a recent post about a bear attack near Creston when a couple out for a bike ride encountered two grizzlies. He has also posted about a wildfire near Harrison Hot Springs, which included another AI-generated fire image without a disclaimer. The introduction to his Facebook page provides a more general description of Sombero's purpose: 'Sharing random bits of creativity — AI art, nature scenes, and moments that inspire.' He also has an Instagram account. Many of Sombero's posts draw attention to climate change, including a recent one that shows the smoke from Canadian wildfires spilling into the United States. The credited satellite image is from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-3 satellite. 'Canada's wildfire emissions in June and July were already off the charts — now they're climbing even higher,' said the post. 'This isn't just a Canadian crisis. It's a North American emergency.' gluymes@
Global News
5 days ago
- Climate
- Global News
‘A beast': Wildfire on Vancouver Island challenging crews, some relief from rain
The B.C. government is set to provide an update on Wednesday about the wildfire situation in the province. More fires have sparked in the past week, with 127 active wildfires currently burning in the province, with a quarter considered out of control. The B.C. Wildfire Service said cooler temperatures and scattered showers are expected over much of the province on Wednesday and Thursday but temperatures are expected to climb again over the weekend and into next week. Light rain and higher humidity have helped firefighters contain a wildfire burning out of control on Vancouver Island. The roughly five-square-kilometre Wesley Ridge wildfire has forced those living in almost 390 homes in the Regional District of Nanaimo to flee. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The BC Wildfire Service says crews made good progress in improving the containment of the blaze, guarding it from spreading to nearby homes and the Highway 4 corridor. Story continues below advertisement 'Our operations continue to prioritize the protection of residences, critical infrastructure and other key values,' Madison Dahl with the B.C. Wildfire Service said in an update on Tuesday. 'Numerous fire departments from across Vancouver Island continue to ensure defensive properties and infrastructure in the Little Qualicum River Village Park and area and the north side of Cameron Lake.' 1:00 More than 200 firefighters battle 500-hectare Wesley Lake wildfire Chris Burger, who owns Meadowood Store in Qualicum Beach, has been keeping a close eye on the Wesley Ridge wildfire. 'This fire is moving right,' he said. 'This is such a beast. I've been watching it with this front-row seat, which is fascinating and terrifying at the same time.' Highway 4, a critical route on Vancouver Island, has not been impacted, officials said, but they are asking people to avoid stopping on the highway and keep the traffic moving. Story continues below advertisement This story will be updated following the provincial wildfire update at 12:30 p.m. — With files from The Canadian Press
CTV News
5 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
More than 40 wildfires started over the long weekend: Alberta Wildfire
A forest is scorched after the Kiskatinaw River wildfire burned through an area along the B.C.-Alberta border. (B.C. Wildfire Service) Alberta Wildfire says more than 40 wildfires started in Alberta over the long weekend. Luckily, the vast majority of them have been extinguished. Derrick Forsythe with Alberta Wildfire said there were 43 new wildfires detected between Aug. 2 and Aug. 5, most of which were in the Lac La Biche and Slave Lake areas. Out of the 43 blazes, three are still considered out of control, one is being held, seven are under control and 32 have been extinguished. Forsythe chalks up the success to standard operational practices. 'We'll have ground units and aerial firefighting resources we deploy to new starts, depending on what the access looks like,' he explained. 'If we can get to it by road, we'll get to it by road. If we can't, our initial attack crews of three or four people will be helicoptered in.' Air tankers will also deploy either water with foam to help concentrate the drops or retardant to help slow the growth of the fire until crews can get to it. 'Our goal is to have wildfires extinguished by 10 a.m. the day after they're discovered,' said Forsythe, adding that Alberta Wildfire has had a 90 per cent success rate over the last five years by that metric. 'It's easy to put out a 0.1-hectare fire, but it's much harder if that fire has grown five or 10 hectares,' said Forsythe. 'We really focus on getting there early and hitting those new starts hard to allow us the best chance to get them out before they can do any real damage.' Twenty of the fires were started by lightning and four were human-caused. The other 19 are still being investigated. There are currently 64 wildfires burning across the province's forest protection area, 16 are classified as out of control. Fire advisories are in place for the Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie and Slave Lake forest areas and parts of the Lac La Biche forest area. Under the advisory, fire permits are only considered on a case-by-case basis. Safe campfires are still allowed. Parts of the Lac La Biche forest area are under a fire restriction, banning all outdoor wood fires on public lands. Safe wood campfires on private land, including provincial campgrounds with a designated fire ring, are still permitted.
Global News
6 days ago
- Climate
- Global News
Vancouver Island wildfire forces hundreds to evacuate, crews work to protect homes, Hwy. 4
The Wesley Ridge wildfire burning on Vancouver Island is now 511 hectares in size and still burning out of control. Madison Dahl with the B.C. Wildfire Service said that visibility is limited due to smoky conditions, however, and that the perimeter and size of the fire are likely to change. 'Today (Monday) on the wildfire, we have 164 personnel that includes ground firefighters and structural protection specialists and teams,' she said. 'There are eight pieces of heavy equipment, eight helicopters. We also have land-based air tankers and scammers assigned to the incident. Aviation resources are supporting operations as required. We have over 80 structure protection specialists assigned and responding to this incident.' Multiple fire departments are also helping tackle the blaze, including the Dashwood and Coombs fire departments. There are 387 residences on evacuation order due to the Wesley Ridge fire, which includes Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park, the day-use area and campground. There are 235 residences on evacuation alert, according to Christina Crabtree, the emergency operations director for the regional district of Nanaimo. Story continues below advertisement In addition, Cameron Lake, Horn Lake and Spider Lake are being utilized for water bucketing, Crabtree said. Little Qualicum River, Arrowsmith CPR Regional Trail and Meadowood Community Park are closed due to the fire. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We have had many calls asking how (people) can provide support, and we are so grateful with the overwhelming support from the community,' Dahl said. 'The RDN (Regional District of Nanaimo) and fire departments, however, can't accept and deal with donations of food, clothing and goods at this time. So our suggestion is you may want to look through social media. There's a whole bunch of options where you can choose to donate and provide support, and we would ask that you go through those channels because we're not able to be able to accommodate.' 1:37 Wesley Ridge fire continues to impact community Dahl said one of the biggest priorities is to minimize growth toward Highway 4 and to keep the highway open and traffic moving. Story continues below advertisement 'The southern edge of the wildfire burning along Cameron Lake is burning in very tough and challenging terrain with large amounts of timber and large amounts of fuel available,' she said. 'Structure protection specialists, structure protection teams and crews are in place to protect properties and values situated along Cameron Lake. Aircraft continue to support ground operations, moving crews, dropping water, cooling the fire, and facilitating direct and indirect attack. We are going to continue to see smoke from the Wesley Ridge Wildfire as it consumes fuel and moves along the slope.' The B.C. government is warning drivers between Parksville and Port Alberni that sudden changes could occur along Highway 4 due to the wildfire. Traffic-control personnel are posted on Highway 4 at the Port Alberni Summit for eastbound traffic and Chatsworth Road for westbound traffic. At this time, Highway 4 remains open. Travellers should plan for extra time as any change to highway operation may cause delays. Travellers are not permitted to stop along Highway 4. The highway, a critical link for Vancouver Island communities, was closed on June 6, 2023, due to the Cameron Bluffs wildfire. With the road closed, coastal communities were left to rely on a treacherous multi-hour detour via an industrial logging road, limiting supplies and starving businesses and tour operators of revenue at a critical time of year. Story continues below advertisement It was closed for 17 days and cost businesses on the West Coast of the island an estimated $44 million, according to a survey.
