Benign Technologies - Case Study
Kilfire Field Report
Over the 2007/2008 fire season a Perth Western Australia hills volunteer brigade used Kilfire when attending fires. At all times the reports back on the product were of amazement at the outstanding knockdown rate. As stated by brigade officers the results of a comparison to the 2006/2007 season were:
- A similar number and intensity of fires was attended
- 50% or less time at the fire front
- 60% or less water used at fire front
- Zero time on mopping up/blackout (other than time spent blacking out behind other brigades)
- Zero water and time for cleaning equipment after fires.
The brigade determined to continue to use Kilfire despite opposition from authority and a refusal of that authority to refund the cost of product purchase as is the normal situation with “qualified” products that are seen to be toxic. (Should someone ask why?)
At one fire it was reported that this brigade’s light tanker (550Lt + Kilfire) outperformed two 3.4’s (3000 litre-4 wheel drive) from another brigade not using Kilfire.
At another hills fire there was a storage area of plastic containers well alight, this was extinguished with one pass over the affected area.
The stories are many and with reports back from other brigades who utilised samples of Kilfire at bushfires (wildfires if you are American & listening) it is astounding that Kilfire is not in general use for this application.
Kilfire has undergone various environmental testing and has yet to have a negative report or finding regarding it’s affect on flora or fauna. You would think the supposed best environmental minds would agree that it is in the best interests of the diversity of our environment to extinguish fires as quickly as possible. Clearly bush land and it’s inhabitants will survive, propagate and re-establish much more quickly if a far lesser area is devastated by uncontrolled fires.
Excerpt from the Countryman September 13th, 200 (p. 67)
The Operations Manager at the Mindarie Regional Council Tamala Park dump and landfill, Mike Tolson, who knows all about fires in the landfill site, said he was also impressed with its ability to “extinguish and take the heat out” of fires.
Mr Tolson said they had used Kilfire on a subterranean fire in a capped landfill site. The landfill was so hot that a thermometer probe lowered down an access hole had melted.
“We pumped 12,000 litres of water mixed with Kilfire down the hole and left it and came back in the morning and the hole was dead cold,” Mr Tolson said.
“Not only does it extinguish the fire but it takes the heat out as well.
“We also use it on surface fires at the tip site.
“We get a lot of fires from household chemicals mixing and igniting. We spray it and get an instant result.”
Mr Tolson said that adding the Kilfire at the recommended rate, cut down significantly on water use.
Where it would take 100 litres of water to control a fire, with the Kilfire added they might use 20-30 litres of water.
“It is an excellent product – mixed properly – it has proven a real saviour to us,” he said
Repeated burning fails
The director–general of the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC), Keiran McNamara, repeats the usual justification for frequent prescribed burning of forests and bushland (Rationale for burning, letters, 23/1).
Originally, prescribed burning was developed to protect the timber resources in the northern jarrah forest. The main now given is protection of people and property from wildfire, Protection of biodiversity has been added as another justification.
However, recent research by scientists at Australian universities and the American and Canadian forest services shows that prescribed burning is not as DEC makes out for reducing the area burnt in wildfires. These scientists say that the weather, not letting fires start in the first place and rapid response when they do start and more important than prescribed burning for containing wildfires.
Repeat burning as currently practiced, actually make forests and bushland more flammable, It opens up tree canopies, dries out the under-storey and promotes rapid and prolific growth of fire-loving plants. The fire managers then feel obligated to burn again and again, which produces an increasingly fire-prone environment.
Kings Park scientist say that frequent fires have a disastrous effect on many species of flora and fauna, Native species that need long fire-free periods disappear from places burnt at short intervals.
The whole of our South-West is suffering from lack of rain, Frequent burning adds to drought stress and threatens the biodiversity that DEC is supposed to conserve and protect. With jarrah, marri tuart and wandoo all in decline, it is time the community insists that DEC adopts a different approach to preventing and controlling wildfires.
Beth Schultz, Vice-president,
Conservation Council of WA Inc.
Is there an answer to The Power of Kilfire?
This 1 Litre of Kilfire Bush Black Liquid |
Is equal to the water holding and fire fighting capacity Of this Standard Fire truck |
= 77 Fire Extinguishers
Giving 5 times the value of water
Kilfire A3000 Powder is 4 times more powerful yet again
This proven technology turns the 600 Litre fire attack units below, into 3000 litre Giants.
Currently we fight fires, protect fire fighters and the public with small amounts of water carrying capacity in simular attack vehicles, fact is, oxygen is contained in that water, Oxygen ignites fire, Kilfire starves fire from oxygen, and extinguishes immediately saving billions of litres of water.
Kilfire is manufactured from a food grade Product in Australia.
Kilfire has been extinguishing Volcanic type fires since 1999 for F.E.S.A. Perth Western Australia and today is being used for wetland & subterranean/ underground gas fires, also controlling extensive tip fires.
Question: Why isn’t it used to contain and extinguish forestry fires?
Benign Technologies - Recent News
August 2008
- Kilfire Field Report
- Kilfire Distributors Added
New products added:
- Ultra-Soil
- Agrayeild Droughtex
Benign Technologies - Product Range
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