NEWS

WILDFIRE ALLIANCE ANNOUNCES MAJOR TECHNOLOGY BREAKTHROUGH TO PROTECT AGAINST  WILDFIRES

Broad Patent Protection Granted for Fire Retardant Combining Components Drawing Moisture from the Air and Accelerating Natural Composting of the Duff that Fuels Fire

May 22, 2023, Bethesda, MD – Wildfire Alliance, Inc., and its chief technology officer, James Aamodt, today announced they have been awarded US Patent US 11,603,495 B2 for a range of material combinations designed to protect homes and other structures from the threat posed by ember-driven wildfires. In addition to an environmentally friendly fire retardant, additional ingredients accelerate the decomposition of dead material that fuel fires and more rapidly regenerate protective plant life in burn-scarred areas after a devastating wildfire. The patent broadly covers compositions containing any or all of the following: 

• A fire retardant
• Compost accelerators, which speed the decomposition of dead plant material, thereby reducing potential fuel for a fire
• Deliquescents, substances that pulls water from air 
• Plant-based polymers, which help healthy plants retain moisture and aid the decomposition process of dead material
• Plant nutrients

Included in the patent is coverage for numerous examples of combinations of two, three, four or all five of these ingredients that might be appropriate for different environments threatened by wildfire and for diverse growing environments.

            “As a changing climate continues to produce increasingly severe weather events, wildfires have become a growing threat to homes, businesses, farms and critical infrastructure,” said Ian Ehrenberg, CEO of Wildfire Alliance. “Until now, the most widely used tool to slow the spread of wildfires has been retardant dropped from planes. We can now provide a much more environmentally friendly, ground-applied material that not only stops the spread of fire but also reduces the amount of fuel available to burn.” 

            Jim Aamodt, chief technology officer, added “I’ve spent the last several years perfecting a combination of ingredients that can greatly increase the chance of survival for a home or a vineyard or any other flammable object in the path of a wildfire. Blowing embers from a nearby fire are the single largest source of ignition impacting these structures. We use a unique, food-grade retardant, which is as effective or in some circumstances more effective than the environmentally controversial materials dropped from planes. Having our product on hand and activating it with water, we can provide a way for people who might be impacted by a wildfire to safely protect their property ahead of a wildfire breaking out nearby.”

            The company is currently undergoing a series of tests to determine which combinations of ingredients are the most effective in stopping embers from igniting plant material as well as accelerating the decomposition of dead material, thereby reducing potential fuel for a fire. These unique attributes lend themselves to widespread applications. In some markets, homeowners may be able to use the product to satisfy new insurance requirements to take precautionary measures against wildfires. On a broader scale, the fuel decomposition and regeneration benefits may be effective complements to prescribed burns and the more traditional aerial application of fire retardants. The resulting products could also be used to accelerate forest recovery from destructive wildfires.

Contact

Ian Ehrenberg, CEO

ian@wildfirealliance.com

(908) 208-3200