Pyronear is a French non-profit association dedicated to the early detection of wildfires through open-source, low-tech technology. Working in collaboration with local fire departments, Pyronear installs Raspberry Pi microcomputers and high-resolution cameras in elevated forest locations to monitor for smoke and fire. These systems automatically analyse captured images, triggering alerts when early signs of wildfire are detected. The alerts are sent to a centralised database and relayed to firefighters via a dedicated supervision platform, enabling rapid and targeted responses.

At the core of Pyronear's mission is the development of an open dataset of wildfire images, annotated and shared openly to support machine learning applications across the sector. This democratic approach allows various stakeholders—from public institutions to open-source developers—to contribute to and benefit from a collective digital resource. The open nature of both the dataset and the detection algorithm reflects Pyronear’s belief in the power of shared knowledge and technological cooperation to address ecological challenges.

The association’s model is both inclusive and resource-efficient. Its detection towers use minimal energy, are compatible with existing camera infrastructure, and can be deployed at a competitive cost thanks to a non-profit structure and the support of volunteer developers. By making the code and data freely accessible, Pyronear invites participation from civil society, tech communities, and public authorities, thereby reinforcing digital commons and civic engagement.

Beyond environmental benefits, Pyronear’s approach builds public trust by ensuring transparency and governance over data sources. Only verified images from trusted contributors, such as firefighters, are used to train detection models. This helps maintain data quality and reinforces the legitimacy of the system in real-world scenarios.

By combining early detection with open governance, digital inclusion, and ecological responsibility, Pyronear provides a replicable model for how digital innovation can serve both communities and the environment. As wildfires continue to pose growing threats under climate change, Pyronear's work exemplifies the social economy's potential to deliver life-centred, scalable, and democratic solutions.