When fighting wildland fires, backpack fire extinguishers are among the most commonly used tools. They are typically filled with ordinary water.
However, pure water has several disadvantages, including poor penetration into dry, fine soils such as peat, as well as organic litter like dry leaves, grass, and pine needles. Due to surface tension, water tends to form droplets on these materials rather than being absorbed effectively. Adding a wetting agent reduces the surface tension, allowing the water to spread and penetrate more efficiently, significantly improving its firefighting performance.
Backpack fire extinguishers are also widely used in prescribed burning operations to control fire edges. Under high-temperature conditions, sprayed water evaporates from surfaces in about one minute. In contrast, water mixed with a wetting agent continues to be effective for over two minutes. This extended effectiveness means that less water is needed to maintain fire control.
Because backpack fire extinguishers are often used in hard-to-reach areas, water must be transported manually to the fire site. This makes the efficient use of water a critical factor for firefighting teams working at the fire’s edge.
Our product is a concentrated wetting agent packaged in sachets—one sachet per backpack filling. The concentrate is fluorine-free, fully biodegradable, and safe for both the environment and human health.
A Message to Our Colleagues
Fighting wildland fires is a difficult and dangerous task, requiring immense physical effort in extreme conditions of heat, smoke, and stress. SIA FIVA hopes that using our wetting agent will, to some extent, ease the challenging work of both professional firefighters and volunteers using backpack fire extinguishers.
For more information, go to: www.firesprayer.e
