Google Maps is more and more a search tool than a simple map service that we use for navigation. And it’s set to get even better with a new security feature.
At the Search On event, held by Google this Thursday, a new layer for Google Maps was introduced. This is intended to present information on the map with concrete details about the ongoing wildfires.
New Google Maps layer with more information on forest fires
“With climate change, wildfires are becoming increasingly common in many parts of the world. Last year, we published a fire boundary map powered by satellite data to help people in the US easily understand the approximate size and location of a fire, directly from their devices, ”Google begins in its statement.
What’s new is that Google now collects “all the information about a forest fire and releases it globally in a new layer on Google Maps.” Thus, information on several fires can be obtained at the same time.
In this way, especially in an emergency, a user can make faster and more informed decisions. Simply touch the focus in question and you will have access to links to local entities as well as contacts.
“When available, you can also see important details about the fire, such as its containment, how much area burned, and when all this information was last reported,” says Google.
For now it is a novelty that will be launched in the United States for Android and iOS later this week. Google plans to expand this level of detail to more countries, starting with Australia in the coming months. We hope that in the future it will also be able to reach Portugal.
