The BC Wildfire Service is the latest organization to fight back against artificial intelligence-generated misinformation.
A recent Facebook post put out by the Wildfire Service showcased two AI-generated images showcasing wildfires and helicopters and planes conducting aerial firefighting
The images are believed to have been shared in a Facebook community group in the Southern Interior before being brought to the attention of the BC Wildfire Service.
The post highlighted the fake images and emphasized the importance of preventing the spread of misinformation during critical emergencies — such as wildfires and evacuation events — while also promoting reliable sources of information, including the BC Wildfire Service app.
“It is more important now than ever before to ensure you are seeking official sources of wildfire and emergency information and turning a critical eye to content shared on social media in the heat of the moment,” the post read.
Comments on the post ranged from disbelief at the quality of the images to calls for better communication from government sources and increased regulation of AI-generated content.
Sarah Budd, provincial information officer for the BC Wildfire Service, spoke to The Citizen about what led to the post and why it sparked such interest.
“They were brought to our attention by concerned citizens,” said Budd. “We saw them online in community pages, and we felt that it was worth reflagging and just giving that reminder to everyone that it's really important in this age of artificial intelligence to be seeking your information about emergencies from trusted sources.”
With the BC Wildfire Service providing essential information during critical times, Budd said the reactions from concerned commenters are understandable.
“It is obviously concerning to see misinformation being spread about emergencies,” said Budd. “Especially when having accurate and timely information is so crucial for people to make informed and appropriate decisions. I think that's probably why it struck such a chord with people.”
This isn’t the first time the BC Wildfire Service has had to deal with misinformation. Budd noted that local rumours and false reports are common during wildfire events.
“We do sometimes see misinformation published,” she said. “Whether to mislead — or folks might have just heard something in the local rumour mill and are passing that along.
“We sometimes see issues with people not knowing where to look for information or not knowing the current status of a wildfire near their home. These kinds of things can cause a lot of anxiety.
“When people know where to look for the correct information and are confident in that information, that can help to combat some of that uncertainty. Because we have limited resources, trying to help everyone individually — one phone call at a time — is less efficient. It’s in everyone’s best interest to already be comfortable with where to find factual, trusted information.”
Budd told The Citizen that reliable information can be found at both the BC Wildfire Service App and by signing up for local emergency alert apps like Voyant Alert and Alertable.
