BC Wildfire Service warns AI photos spread misinformation and uncertainty

VANCOUVER – The BC Wildfire Service is warning about AI-generated images spreading misinformation and uncertainty during fire season, citing fake images being shared on social media that seemingly depict recent blazes.

The service shared two images it says were generated with artificial intelligence, showing dramatic scenes of aircraft fighting fires.

It says the images don’t accurately represent “the terrain, fire size, or fire behaviour” in the blazes they depict, but people who scroll past them could believe they were real.

One of the images was originally posted by a self-described “digital creator” on Facebook on July 31 with a caption about the Drought Hill fire near Peachland, which was edited the next day with a disclaimer that the image was created by AI and was for “illustrative purposes only.”

The wildfire service says people turn to social media for updates during wildfire season, and whether it’s “well-intentioned or intentionally misleading,” misinformation is the last thing that’s needed in an emergency.

The Regional District of Central Okanagan has lifted an evacuation alert for 118 properties in the Peachland area, where Drought Hill fire has been brought under control.