As part of the IPA ADRION ARCA (ARtificial intelligence platform to prevent Climate change natural hazArds) project, on October 15, 2025, sensors for fire detection and environmental data collection were installed at the Institute for Mediterranean Plants of the University of Dubrovnik.
Under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Ivana Palunko, head of the LARIAT and coordinator of ARCA project at the University of Dubrovnik, team members Igor Czudy and Mato Tikvica, together with Domagoj Žeravica from the Institute for Mediterranean Plants and project partners from Italy, installed a total of eight sensors on selected trees at the Institute’s site in Čibača — four Tree Talker and four Fire Talker sensors.
These advanced sensors enable early detection of fire risk and continuous monitoring of tree and environmental conditions. The Tree Talker Fire sensors generate pre-alarm data such as water transport within the plant and stem moisture measurement, while during risk events they record alarm data including gas concentrations (CO₂, O₃, PM2.5, PM10), flame detection, and other indicators of potential fire occurrence.
The ARCA project is implemented under the Interreg VI – B IPA Adriatic Ionian – IPA ADRION – Cooperation Programme 2021–2027 and is coordinated by CMCC – Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici. At the University of Dubrovnik, the project is led by Prof. Dr. Ivana Palunko from the Laboratory for Intelligent Autonomous Systems (LARIAT) in cooperation with Institute form Mediterranean Plants. The project runs from May 1, 2024, to April 30, 2027.
The goal of ARCA is to develop an innovative platform based on artificial intelligence and machine learning to enable timely detection and prevention of natural hazards caused by climate change, such as windstorms, wildfires, and droughts. The project connects scientists and experts from various fields to jointly develop systems that contribute to sustainable forest ecosystem management and enhanced resilience to climate-related risks.
Beyond its technological focus, ARCA also emphasizes cross-border cooperation and knowledge exchange among researchers, as well as education and awareness-raising among youth on the importance of environmental protection and biodiversity conservation.
The project brings together nine partners from Italy, Croatia, Greece, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, and Serbia, strengthening international collaboration and joint efforts to address the impacts of climate change.
