Extreme forest fires, so-called 5th and 6th generation fires, are no longer an exceptional phenomena. They are the new standard in Europe, America, Australia, Africa and Asia. These fires are able to generate their own meteorology, throwing flying sparks for miles, creating firestorms and advancing faster than a human can escape. In this scenario, the survival of the firefighters and the protection of the civilian population depend on technologies capable of generating near-instant, efficient, and accessible self-protection. The forestry self-protective nozzle is born as a direct response to this new reality. It was tested and demonstrated at various and several opportunities since May 2025. It is the world’s most advanced portable tool for creating a protective water curtain in a few seconds, able to absorb thermal radiation, to extinguish sparks, and to provide a temporary shelter in extreme conditions. Its compact design, hydraulic efficiency and operational versatility make it a disruptive innovation in the field of active safety. This innovative self-protecting nozzle instantly solves a global issue. All forest firefighters in the world currently have the same problem (the new type of forest fires) so what is solved here, is automatically solved in the rest of the planet.
In a scenario where extreme forest fires increasingly challenge human and technical capabilities, the forestry self-protecting nozzle is not only an innovation but a vital necessity for the survival of the forest firefighters, their effectiveness in extinction and the protection of the civilian population. The firefighters do not have infinite flow. They work with limited deposits (usually less than 4,000 litres) which requires a millimetric management of the most valuable resource: water. Megafires (such as those in Galicia, Portugal or Australia...) require tools that go beyond the conventional: precision and resistance ; adaptable strategy. The goal was to develop a forestry self-protecting nozzle with an inlet of 1’’ that uses a low flow, that can be used with high pressure, that is very lightweight and compact, that offers an effective protective shield and that is reliable when used for forest fires.
The forest water wall nozzle integrates engineering advancements that do not exist in any other portable self-protection device: •Optimized drop size (0.3-1mm) This micro-droplets range maximizes the absorption of thermal radiation, dissipating energy before it reaches people, vehicles or infrastructure. In extreme fires, where radiation kills tens of meters before the flames arrive, this feature is vital. •Ultra-compact dimensions: 14 x 7 x 6 cm It is the smallest nozzle on the market and the most efficient. It fits in a pocket, in a forest firefighter’s backpack or in the gloves box of an emergency vehicle, allowing it to be available at the moment when you need it most. •Weight: 570 g only Its lightness allows any firefighter to wear it without extra effort. Unlike traditional water wall nozzles which usually stay in the vehicle for their volume, this apparatus always accompanies the firefighter. •High durability materials Body and deflector in hard anodized aluminium alloy; highly-resistant. Filter in marine grade stainless steel, removable and quick to clean. Screws and springs in stainless steel. These materials guarantee corrosion resistance, longevity and reliability even in environments with saline, dirty or particles charged water. •Bevelled impulse edges The bevel prevents shocks or wear from altering the uniformity of the protective arch, maintaining the geometry of the curtain even after intensive use. •Guaranteed protection arch: 15 m x 5 m It generates a wide and stable curtain, even in windy conditions, creating an effective thermal shield for people, vehicles or infrastructure. •Operation at low, medium and high pressure (6-40 bar) Works with different types of pumps. Even at low pressure or when water is scarce due to its low water consumption, it still creates a curtain. • Optimized consumption: 100 l/min at 6 bar It allows self-protection to be maintained for long periods even with small deposits or limited water resource
The forestry water wall nozzle is not just a technical device: it’s a survival tool and safety multiplier in multiple scenarios. •Critical infrastructure protection - Petrol stations - Industrial estates - Logistics centers - Fuel tanks - Energy installations The water curtain acts as a heat barrier and extinguish sparks, reducing the risk of secondary ignition and protecting essential facilities for operational continuity. •Protection of housing in urban-forest interface and villages in rural interface In areas where a rain of sparks can set fire to a house in a few seconds, the forestry water wall nozzle allows to create a wet perimeter that extinguishes sparks at its contact and to drastically reduce the likelihood of structural ignition generating damp walls and reducing the likelihood that the fire will spread from one house to another. •Self-protection of the operator In fires of 5th and 6th generation, the time permitted to create a safe zone is less than one minute. This forestry water wall nozzle allows to: - create temporary shelters, - withstand heat waves, - protect the team during tactical retreats, -secure areas of passage or evacuation, - create breathable and thermally tolerable atmospheres in a few seconds. It’s a "water airbag" that deploys when everything else fails. •Protection of trapped vehicles In situations where civilians or firefighters are trapped, the water curtain acts as a heat shield, reducing the risk of hot cabin syndrome and allowing time to be saved until reinforcements arrive or the front is moved. •Heavy machinery protection Bulldozers and line opening machinery can work under a curtain, protecting cabins and hydraulic systems from extreme heat, or when these machines get trapped. •Road or urban-forest interface rescues The forestry water wall nozzle allows to protect rescuers and victims during evacuations in high-risk areas, creating a wet shield around the vehicle or the extraction point.
Forest Firefighters Unit has a Team for innovation (Living Lab) composed by 4 specialists, focused on analysing technical, operational needs and safety requirements of firefighters, evaluation of new equipments and the possible needs not provided by the market. That way they defined such technical requirements for the forestry nozzle and looked for a company to its design and manufacturing. POK French manufacturer of equipment for firefighters has an engineering department and production plant.
Forest Firefighters Unit has a Team for innovation (Living Lab) composed by 4 specialists, focused on analysing technical, operational needs and safety requirements of firefighters, evaluation of new equipments and the possible needs not provided by the market. That way they defined such technical requirements for the forestry nozzle and looked for a company to its design and manufacturing. POK French manufacturer of equipment for firefighters has an engineering department and production plant.