DEFEND- Bushfire Containment Lines
A non-toxic fire-protective powder concentrate for short-term containment lines for bushfire threats
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Research Project
Challenge
Current fire-retardant products contain harmful chemicals and halogenated compounds that pose risks to people and the environment. Communities and emergency services urgently need a safer, non-toxic alternative that can be rapidly deployed to protect homes, vegetation and critical infrastructure in bushfireprone areas.
Solution
DEFEND is a new bushfire containment line product developed in collaboration with Flame Security International. This new powder concentrate can be mixed with water to establish a short-term containment line around critical infrastructure and homes if a bushfire threat arises. It’ s safe for humans to handle and safe for the environment, and the coating will remain in place for up to two weeks unless rained on. The coating will retard the rolling bushfires approaching the critical infrastructure and homes.
Target customers / end-users
• homeowners in high-risk areas seeking stronger protection from bushfire damage
• utilities, councils and emergency services responsible for safeguarding critical infrastructure in bushfire-prone regions
• government agencies and insurers seeking scalable protection solutions for communities at high bushfire risk.
Progress
• secured ~ AU $ 6.5m from Cooperative Research Centres Projects( CRC-P) for R & D and upscaling the new paint technology for commercialisation
• the powder concentrate succeeded in attaining USDA certification for wildfires.
Validated( real-world setting)
TRL 9
Societal resilience & cohesion
Climate & Clean Energy
Australia’ s increasing vulnerability to extreme weather conditions and frequency of devastating natural and man-made fires are major risks to new and existing assets and infrastructure. This product aims to protect and safeguard homes in bushfireprone areas from bushfire threats.
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