Fire department tests unusual new method to stop blazes that could replace sprinklers, foam sprays

Water, chemicals, and even flames are often used to battle fires in buildings and forests. Now, a crew in California is using sound, according to ABC 7 Eyewitness News. 

The San Bernardino County Fire Department is testing a system developed by Sonic Fire Tech that uses bursts of infrasound waves to disrupt oxygen flow to embers before they become blazes. If commercialized at scale, the innovation could replace sprinkler systems in buildings and even firefighting foams that contain harmful chemicals.

"They use infrared technology to detect flames that starts off a trigger to start the sound waves," Sonic Fire's Ryan Remington told ABC 7. "We vibrate the oxygen at a rate the fire can't consume it and breaks the chemical reaction."

The method works by using sensors to scan for embers. If dangerous heat signatures are detected, the system automatically deploys alternating infrasound waves that prevent ignition. 

A video shared by Sonic Fire shows a setup installed under a home's gutters. It knocks down an emerging fire in a shrub, acting as an apparent wildfire guard. The system is connected to a generator that produces the sound waves. 

According to the company, the product was developed by former National Aeronautics and Space Administration engineers. No water, firefighting foam, or human triggers are needed. The process is silent and doesn't impact air quality. 

Firefighting foam, meanwhile, contains per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. The synthetic chemicals are commonly known as "forever chemicals" for their staying power in habitats and human bodies. They appear in countless household products, and exposure to "certain levels" has been linked to reproductive health concerns, developmental delays, and cancer risks.  

For their part, sprinkler systems can cost between $1 and $2 per square foot in new builds and between $2 and $7 in older home retrofits, according to Liberty Fire Solutions. That would be between $2,000 and $14,000 for a 2,000-square-foot home. 

By comparison, TechCrunch reported, Sonic Fire plans to sell its system for 2% of a home's value. So it would cost, say, $4,000 for a $200,000 home. But the average home value in California is $765,000, putting systems at more than $15,300 there. The company is in talks with insurance companies to "qualify the technology," according to the outlet. 

Sonic Fire is apparently working to adapt the product for use in the field to prevent wildfires and assist firefighters. It's a timely invention, particularly in California, where wildfires have ravaged entire communities and where extreme weather, such as heat and drought, is set to exacerbate risks.

Sonic Fire's innovation is an example of tech that can protect property amid these worsening conditions. 

"Protecting your most critical asset from those nasty embers," Sonic Fire Chief Commercialization Officer Remington Hotchkis said in the company's video.

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