Twitch has expanded its role beyond entertainment by supporting real-time wildfire detection in France. Through the FireCatchers project, developed by Havas Play in partnership with the French Fire and Rescue Services, select channels broadcast live feeds from high-risk forest areas. Viewers can help monitor these locations and contribute directly to wildfire prevention efforts.
When a streamer’s “starting soon” screen appears, it is replaced with a live feed from cameras located in high-risk forest areas. Viewers can report visible smoke in the chat, and once multiple reports are received, an alert is sent directly to the local emergency operations center (CODIS). The system is monitored around the clock by both Twitch moderators and firefighters to ensure rapid and accurate responses.
The program is already active in the Hérault region, where it launched on July 14, 2025. Early participants include top French streamers such as Aypierre (477K followers), Sébastien “KRL_stream” Perez (107K), ZeSadPanda (44K), and Lamhua (35K), collectively reaching nearly 600,000 followers. Educational graphics displayed during broadcasts inform viewers about how to identify early signs of wildfires, encouraging active participation in prevention efforts.
This technology-driven initiative comes as climate change extends and intensifies France’s wildfire season. While some forested regions are covered by aerial patrols or watchtowers, many still rely solely on human reporting. FireCatchers addresses this gap by deploying cameras with radio-wave sensors and integrating directly with regional fire services (SDIS), strengthening monitoring capabilities without adding strain to existing infrastructure.
With France’s 250,000 firefighters mobilized each year, FireCatchers brings hundreds of thousands of additional participants into wildfire prevention efforts. Combining gaming culture, technology, and civic engagement, the initiative enables potential wildfire detection not only by trained rangers, but also by viewers awaiting a Twitch broadcast to begin.
