Hikvision Thermal and AI Fire Detection: Spotting Fires Before They Start

Hikvision thermal and AI cameras can spot a fire before it starts: thermal cameras measure rising temperature in waste piles and equipment, AI algorithms recognise smoke and flame on video, and the alerts can be linked to fire alarm panels. This guide brings together Hikvision's fire-related news from 2021 to 2024: the HeatPro thermal series, waste and recycling fire prevention, the iThermAI fire and smoke partnership, and the Teknim fire alarm integration.

Why traditional fire detection isn't always enough

Smoke and heat detectors are vital, but they have limits. In a large warehouse, smoke has to rise to a high ceiling before a detector sees it. Outdoors or in semi-open buildings, wind carries it away. Inside a compacted waste pile, heat can build for hours with no visible smoke at all. Cameras can see the problem earlier.

HeatPro thermal cameras (2021)

Hikvision's HeatPro series brought thermal imaging to the mainstream:

• Temperature measurement and fire detection with real-time alarms. Hikvision says it can raise the alarm faster than a smoke sensor.
• Deep-learning perimeter protection from 0 to 50 metres, telling people and vehicles apart even when they're close together.
• Works in total darkness and bad weather, because thermal cameras see heat, not light, and emit no light themselves.
• Quick three-step set-up, plus integration with NVRs, AX PRO alarms and Hik-Connect alerts.
• Bullet and turret, single-lens and bi-spectrum (thermal plus visible) versions.

Preventing waste and recycling fires (2021)

Fires at waste and recycling sites are common, and damaged lithium-ion batteries are a growing cause. Compressed paper and cardboard can heat up inside a pile, out of sight, with no smoke. Hikvision's approach:

• Thermal cameras with a pre-alarm at a raised temperature and a critical alarm at a dangerous one.
• Bi-spectrum cameras so staff can see the live picture alongside the heat image and verify the alarm.
• Smart filtering so sunlight and vehicles don't cause false alarms.
• Alerts to managers' phones through HikCentral, and links to sprinklers or automatic fire doors.

AI fire and smoke detection with iThermAI (2024)

Belgian AI company iThermAI runs its fire and smoke detection algorithms directly on Hikvision cameras via the HEOP 2.0 open platform, including 4K DarkFighterS cameras and bi-spectrum thermal cameras. It's designed for places where ceiling detectors struggle: large warehouses, factories, waste sites, and outdoor or semi-outdoor areas. Alarms go to a video management system such as HikCentral Professional for video verification.

Linking fire alarms and CCTV with Teknim (2024)

Hikvision integrated Teknim's Mosaic addressable fire alarm system with HikCentral Professional using the BACnet building automation protocol. When a fire panel reports an alarm, operators get the camera view, snapshots, recordings and an event map, so they can see the fire's location straight away.

Thermal cameras we stock

• DS-2TD2617-6/V1 thermal and visible bi-spectrum bullet
• DS-2TD1217-6/V1 thermal and optical turret
• DS-2TD1217B-3/PA temperature measurement thermal turret

Browse the full thermal camera range. Camera-based detection supports, but doesn't replace, a certified fire alarm system, so always follow your fire risk assessment. Talk to us about the right model for your site.

Our take

For waste sites, warehouses and anywhere with lithium batteries in the mix, early warning is everything: the difference between a hot spot and a full-scale fire can be minutes. Thermal and AI cameras add an early layer that traditional detectors can't provide, and linking them to the fire panel and video gives responders the full picture.

Questions about thermal or fire detection cameras? Call 01902 902251. As an authorised Hikvision partner, we ship nationally to England, Scotland and Wales.

Quick questions

Can a CCTV camera detect fire?
Thermal cameras can detect rising temperatures, and AI algorithms such as iThermAI's can recognise smoke and flame on video.

What is a bi-spectrum camera?
A camera with both a thermal and a visible lens, so you see the heat image and the normal picture together.

Do thermal cameras replace smoke detectors?
No. They add earlier warning; a certified fire alarm system is still required.

Why are lithium batteries a fire risk at waste sites?
Damaged lithium-ion batteries can short-circuit and overheat, igniting surrounding material, often hidden inside waste piles.

Sources: Hikvision UK newsroom, 2021 (HeatPro), 2 June 2021, 11 January 2024 and 31 May 2024.