Prefirex long-term wildfire retardant
PrefireX is a novel, environmentally responsible fire retardant formulated around magnesium sulfate (MgSO?), a naturally occurring, non-toxic compound commonly used as fertilizer. Unlike conventional fire retardants based on ammonium polyphosphate (APP), PrefireX contains no persistent or hazardous chemicals and poses minimal ecological risk. Its mechanism of action centers on controlled water vapor release from hydrated magnesium sulfate during heating, which cools surfaces and dilutes flammable gases�slowing fire progression over a prolonged period. The product also incorporates biodegradable nanocellulose to ensure it remains on surface vegetation and does not leach into soil or water reserves.
PrefireX is ready-to-use, requires no water dilution, has low viscosity, and is compatible with aerial or ground-based application equipment. It provides up to two weeks of preventative protection after deployment and transitions into a soil-enhancing fertilizer (Mg + S) post-use. This dual-functionality as both a fire retardant and soil amendment underscores its sustainability. PrefireX addresses environmental and safety concerns linked with APP and magnesium chloride (MgCl?), offering a pH-neutral, non-corrosive, and non-toxic alternative with significantly lower salinity impact. In terms of safety, PrefireX is classified non-hazardous under EU CLP regulation and is fully REACH-compliant.
PrefireX was developed to close a critical capability gap: the absence of non-toxic, non-persistent, long-term fire retardants that do not endanger first responders or the environment. Current options, particularly those based on ammonium polyphosphate (APP) or PFAS, can expose responders to respiratory toxins, corrosive residues, and groundwater contamination. PrefireX eliminates these risks.
Our objectives are:
To provide fire services with a safe, long-lasting fire retardant that does not produce hazardous off-gassing or toxic residues.
-To eliminate exposure to ammonium, PFAS, and phosphorus-based substances.
-To deliver a surface-stable formulation that does not leach into groundwater or degrade soil health.
-To ensure full operational compatibility with aerial and terrestrial firefighting infrastructure, including high-pressure pump systems.
-To create a circular, low-carbon product that supports post-fire land recovery.
PrefireX is timely, relevant, and impactful�supporting European objectives of chemical safety, biodiversity protection, and climate-smart disaster preparedness. It offers responders a critical tool that prioritizes both their own safety and the ecosystems they are tasked with protecting.
A key innovation�and challenge�is that PrefireX does not conform neatly to existing classifications of firefighting products. Unlike conventional retardants or suppressants, PrefireX offers preventive, long-term surface protection, requiring a shift in how fire risk mitigation is planned and executed. Its full benefit is realized when integrated proactively into fire prevention strategies rather than reactive suppression. Adoption may require updates to protocols and mindsets, but it opens the door to fundamentally safer, more ecological fire control. However, one anticipated barrier is institutional: PrefireX does not align with traditional fire retardant categories and therefore challenges the operational status quo.PrefireX introduces multiple novel technological and chemical innovations within a mature, TRL 8�9 product:
Controlled Hydration Release: PrefireX uses magnesium sulfate heptahydrate (MgSO?�7H?O) as a �petrified water� source. This gradual water release upon heating delivers sustained cooling and flame inhibition over many hours, unlike fast-reacting retardants that lose efficacy rapidly.
-No PFAS or APP: The formulation eliminates phosphorus, nitrogen compounds, and fluorinated chemicals, ensuring no chemical persistence, eutrophication, or groundwater pollution.
-Biodegradable Surface-Locking Matrix: Incorporates nanocellulose to prevent subsoil infiltration while improving spray adhesion and retention.
-Dual Use: Post-fire, PrefireX becomes a soil fertilizer delivering magnesium and sulfur�contributing to land rehabilitation.
-Regulatory Readiness: Fully REACH-compliant, CLP non-hazardous, and free from SVHCs. No CE label is applicable under EU law for this chemical type, but all ingredients are registered or exempt.
-Proven Safety and Compatibility: Non-corrosive, low-ecotoxicity profile, tested compatibility with aluminum, steel, and typical fire equipment materials.
-IP-Protected: Patents granted in Finland, Canada, Australia; pending in USA, Brazil, and Malaysia.
PrefireX is not just a product�it represents a paradigm shift in how responders can protect life and land without compromising safety or sustainability. Its effectiveness depends on rethinking some existing response models�from purely reactive suppression to proactive, landscape-level prevention. A key part of our goal is to support fire services in recognizing and adopting this paradigm shift, supported by training, validation data, and cross-sector dialogue.PrefireX addresses multiple operational gaps currently limiting the effectiveness and safety of fire response strategies in Europe and globally. The core problem it solves is the lack of safe, environmentally responsible, long-lasting fire retardants that can be deployed before fire outbreaks to mitigate risks, without causing harm to responders, ecosystems, or infrastructure.
Traditional fire retardants often rely on ammonium polyphosphate (APP) or fluorinated substances (PFAS), which can lead to acute and chronic health hazards for responders through inhalation, skin contact, or contamination of drinking water sources. Additionally, these compounds persist in the environment, contribute to eutrophication, and in some cases are associated with irreversible ecological damage. PrefireX eliminates this hazard completely: it is CLP-classified as non-hazardous, REACH-compliant, fully biodegradable, and avoids all SVHCs.
Operationally, PrefireX enables a shift from reactive suppression to proactive protection. It provides a 1�2 week-long active fire retardant barrier that can be applied in advance to high-risk zones�along roadsides, near settlements, in buffer zones around critical infrastructure, or in agricultural�forest interfaces. This substantially reduces ignition potential and fire spread.
Furthermore, PrefireX is optimized for real-world use. It requires no dilution or mixing, is compatible with existing ground-based and aerial firefighting systems, and has a long storage life. Its surface-binding nanocellulose formulation prevents infiltration into groundwater or deep soil, ensuring effectiveness without compromising safety.
In summary, PrefireX resolves a triad of operational problems: (1) lack of safe, responder-friendly chemicals; (2) inadequate long-term fire retardant tools; and (3) environmental consequences of conventional agents. It empowers emergency services to act earlier, safer, and more sustainably.PrefireX addresses multiple operational gaps currently limiting the effectiveness and safety of fire response strategies in Europe and globally. The core problem it solves is the lack of safe, environmentally responsible, long-lasting fire retardants that can be deployed before fire outbreaks to mitigate risks, without causing harm to responders, ecosystems, or infrastructure.
Traditional fire retardants often rely on ammonium polyphosphate (APP) or fluorinated substances (PFAS), which can lead to acute and chronic health hazards for responders through inhalation, skin contact, or contamination of drinking water sources. Additionally, these compounds persist in the environment, contribute to eutrophication, and in some cases are associated with irreversible ecological damage. PrefireX eliminates this hazard completely: it is CLP-classified as non-hazardous, REACH-compliant, fully biodegradable, and avoids all SVHCs.
Operationally, PrefireX enables a shift from reactive suppression to proactive protection. It provides a 1�2 week-long active fire retardant barrier that can be applied in advance to high-risk zones�along roadsides, near settlements, in buffer zones around critical infrastructure, or in agricultural�forest interfaces. This substantially reduces ignition potential and fire spread.
Furthermore, PrefireX is optimized for real-world use. It requires no dilution or mixing, is compatible with existing ground-based and aerial firefighting systems, and has a long storage life. Its surface-binding nanocellulose formulation prevents infiltration into groundwater or deep soil, ensuring effectiveness without compromising safety.
In summary, PrefireX resolves a triad of operational problems: (1) lack of safe, responder-friendly chemicals; (2) inadequate long-term fire retardant tools; and (3) environmental consequences of conventional agents. It empowers emergency services to act earlier, safer, and more sustainably.Describe a feature you’d like to share about this company or highlight a particular service it offers.