Wildfire Innovations Inc. demonstrates new wildfire suppression technology for Peace Region Firefighters

Wenzel says the Tower is a product of founder Don Hallet, who was evacuated from fires twice during his childhood and wanted to do something to help.

“Eventually he said, ‘Well I want to do something about it’,” he says. “So, he developed first stationary systems that are installed at fishing lodges at BC and Ontario and then decided to develop a mobile system which you can pull with a pickup truck and disconnect very quickly. And in half an hour it’s set up and ready to go.”

(Photo Credit: Everything GP Staff/Nathaniel Leigh)

Deputy Chief of Fire Operations for the City of Grande Prairie Mike Anderson says the Fire Department will be looking to analyze the Rainstream and discuss if it would be a useful tool to have at their disposal.

“Take a look at our data and our community risk assessment and try and figure out where a device like this fits into our response,” Anderson says. “From there, we use the experience of our platoon chiefs, and we would then make a recommendation necessarily to the Fire Chief, if this is something we were interested in.”

Anderson says it would cost around $750,000 to purchase one of these towers.

“Then also we’d have to do a deep dive on the level of training, and then you have your annual service and maintenance,” he says. “We’re kind of at the ground floor of analysis. When we take a look at something, we analyze it to every sort of facet. Because a device like this we could have for twenty years.”

(Photo Credit: Everything GP Staff/Nathaniel Leigh)

“A lot less then the price of a single home,” Wenzel says. “It’s quite cheap when you think about it that way. Literally pays for itself in a few minutes. Jasper’s $1.23-billion loss? With under $10-million worth of equipment, you could have created this wall of water on the south end of town.”

Anderson says the device’s portability would be an asset, allowing operators to essentially set it and forget it.

(Photo Credit: Everything GP Staff/Nathaniel Leigh)

“Something like this could be set up the day before sort of thing and use it as a large tool in a toolbox,” he says. “It’s very similar to our aerial devices, so it’s not like our community doesn’t have this level of protection.”

Wildfire Innovations Inc. has been showcasing the tower to various communities and is looking for more support before they begin producing more of the structures.

(Photo Credit: Everything GP Staff/Nathaniel Leigh)

by Nathaniel Leigh