INWIT Towers on the Front Line Against Fires in Rome’s Parks
INWIT’s shared digital infrastructure once again takes center stage in the fight against wildfires: a new prevention and monitoring project has been launched in collaboration with Legambiente and RomaNatura in the Monte Mario Nature Reserve and the Pineto Urban Park in Rome—centuries-old green heritage sites in the heart of the Capital.
On the five INWIT telecommunications towers located in the Reserve and the Park, six smart cameras and five AI-powered gateways have been installed. These are capable of quickly detecting smoke plumes and early signs of fire. Their placement at the top of the towers offers a strategic vantage point.
The average monitoring range is 2.5 km from the observation point, but in some cases smoke plumes can be detected up to 5 km away. The equipment is capable of operating even under challenging environmental conditions and, thanks to artificial intelligence, can distinguish between smoke from chimneys or barbecues and smoke from actual fires.
The smart cameras can operate even in harsh conditions and distinguish between harmless smoke, such as that from chimneys or barbecues, and fire indicators, providing concrete support to law enforcement, firefighters, and civil protection services.
This initiative in the Capital marks a new milestone in the partnership between INWIT and Legambiente, already active since 2023 with an air quality monitoring project in five protected natural areas of the Central Apennines:
- Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park Maiella National Park Zompo lo Schioppo Nature Reserve Monte Genzana Alto Gizio Nature Reserve Punta Aderci Regional Nature Reserve
In July 2024, the initiative expanded to include wildfire prevention, involving six territories:
- Pescasseroli (AQ) – in the heart of the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park
- Pettorano sul Gizio (AQ) – Monte Genzana Alto Gizio Regional Nature Reserve
- Civitella Roveto (AQ) – Longagna area
- Lecceta di Torino di Sangro Regional Nature Reserve (CH)
- Bosco Don Venanzio Nature Reserve in Pollutri (CH)
- Rome – Monte Mario Nature Reserve and Pineto Urban Park
In total, 13 INWIT towers are involved, equipped with 13 gateways, 15 AI-powered cameras, and 6 IoT sensors for environmental monitoring.
“Our digital infrastructure is an ally of the territory in protecting biodiversity and the environment. The installation of smart AI-enabled cameras and gateways on our towers confirms the strategic value of our infrastructure: beyond enabling multi-operator mobile connectivity, they can play a key role in environmental and territorial monitoring—also for fire prevention,” said Michelangelo Suigo, Director of External Relations, Communication & Sustainability at INWIT.
“After the fire prevention and monitoring project launched last summer in Abruzzo, we are now joining INWIT in the Capital,” commented Giorgio Zampetti, General Director of Legambiente. “We aim to monitor the Monte Mario Nature Reserve and the Pineto Urban Park, two symbolic places in Rome long loved by citizens and tourists alike, and precious biodiversity assets for the city. Unfortunately, the fire risk for urban parks and green areas is increasingly high. In July 2024, a major fire destroyed part of Monte Mario, a wound still visible today, reminding us of the urgent need to invest in fire prevention and allocate more resources to urban greenery. Prevention can also be pursued with the help of technology and artificial intelligence, as demonstrated by the project we are conducting with INWIT.”
The project demonstrates how digital infrastructures can evolve into tools for environmental safety, confirming the central role of technology and innovation in territorial protection.