Webcam wildfire eyes
Photo: GoFundMe
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched in an effort by Shuswap residents to get webcam eyes on White Lake in case of a wildfire.
Shaun Gainer of Sorrento organized the fundraiser for the community north of Salmon Arm.
“White Lake Webcams is a resident-funded, volunteer-based project that intends to install webcams that provide sweeping views of the surrounding hills for the primary purpose of residents being able to spot and report wildfires as soon as possible,” Gainer wrote on the GoFundMe page.
“They will also be helpful in providing current weather conditions,” he added.
Gainer says he has initial commitments for donations to get started.
“We also have a few offers for potential locations. In order to be effective, we will need more donors and more potential locations so that we can choose the best angles. Locations require wide-angle, unobstructed views of surrounding hills with a strong WiFi or wired internet connection.”
The cameras will transmit a photo every 30 to 60 seconds.
Gainer projects that setup costs will be roughly $200 per camera and that maintenance should me minimal thereafter.
“I’m thinking four cameras would be a good start and depending on the demand for covering more hills, we could grow from there,” he wrote.
He has ordered one WiFi camera and one wired camera to get the project started.
“Once they arrive … and we have selected our first two locations, we will use those as our test pilots before ordering more.”
As of midday Thursday, the campaign had raised $1,760 toward a $2,000 goal.