An Alberta-Made Solution to Reduce Wildfire Risks

RainStream is a game-changer for wildfire prevention, designed to protect homes and forests in high-risk areas

Story by: Jacky den Haan

The first time that a wildfire forced Don Hallett and his family to evacuate from their home, he was nine years old. 

His mom rushed into his bedroom, where he was playing with his Hot Wheels. “Grab your favourite toy, and let’s go,” she told him. He grabbed two, the Hot Wheels and his piggy bank. 

Within minutes, the mother and four children were driving north, away from the blaze. They had to stay in a hotel for a week, waiting for the fire to move on, not knowing whether their house was still standing.  

Hallett’s father had gone to work that morning and had evacuated from there. This being back when landlines were the only phone option, the family had no news of his whereabouts until they returned home at week’s end. 

From Survivor to Innovator

Hallett, who created and recently unveiled ‘RainStream,’ a 30-meter sprinkler tower built to combat wildfires, is no stranger to the threats of the physical world. He had to evacuate one more fire as a child. He’s survived stage four cancer. And, during his years working as a tradesman and quality assurance supervisor in remote Alberta, he had to evacuate from fires several more times. He’s seen firsthand the havoc that wildfires wreak.  

Now, he’s built his company, Wildfire Innovations, from the ground up and has innovated a new firefighting solution. He hopes it can reduce the financial cost of fighting wildfires and give people living in fire-prone areas peace of mind. 

“I think the biggest issue is that we’ve been reactive. Now we’re starting to see people are taking a proactive approach, which is good because they’re going to be prepared,” he tells TheRockies.Life. His towers are designed to both prepare and react. 

‘RainStream’ towers can be set up in forests or used to protect houses and community infrastructure. They require a water source such as a lake, stream, or hydrant to pump water. How far they shoot water depends on how windy it is, but at their maximum, they can pump water over 250 meters in diameter. They can reduce the fire risk in the area or help dampen a fire that’s already burning.  

Firefighting consultant Brian Macintosh affirmed the potential of this new technology. “These 100-foot towers can spray water over a forest canopy, the top of the trees, so when a wildfire is approaching, these can be pre-set up and help to mitigate the potential damage from wildfires coming in,” he told The Edmonton Journal. 

Forest fires often become too strong to allow ground crews to operate. Fires also create their own wind and reduce visibility, meaning aircraft frequently can’t get in to manage the fire from above. ‘RainStream’ is a third option when neither ground crews nor aerial teams can get in.

Fire needs oxygen, heat, and fuel to burn. Hallett’s invention adds humidity, cutting a fire’s oxygen supply.  “If we’re able to introduce humidity into the fire and drop the temperature, this raises the relative humidity that the fire needs oxygen to burn,” he says. 

A RainStream demonstration in Enoch, AB on Nov 7, 2024 | Shaughn Butts | Postmedia

Built for Canada’s Toughest Terrain

Hallett’s experiences working in remote areas helped him design the towers and trailers to drive through the unsteady terrain of the boreal forest and the muskeg. “In a lot of places still, the only time you can drive there is in the wintertime. To be able to get equipment up into those areas, you’re reliant on aircraft,” he says. Once flown in, the trailer can drive the final distance up where it’s needed. 

This is especially important for isolated communities in northern Canada. In the first part of 2023 alone, 64 isolated Indigenous communities had to evacuate due to wildfire presence or risk. 

The rain tower can be adapted to a community’s specific needs. If the goal is long-term prevention, a permanent tower can be installed. If an agency or county aims to use the tower in multiple locations, it can opt for the mobile unit. 

Getting machinery through Canada’s boreal forest can be daunting, if not impossible | Aaron | TheTravel

Supporting Communities, Fighting Fires

The ‘RainStream’ is also a win for Canadian manufacturing. 

This year, an American company made the news for its apparent monopoly of tourist attractions in Banff and Jasper, and Canadians increasingly rely on American forest fire management strategies. This Canadian-owned, Canadian-built solution is a breath of fresh air. Hallett informed me that most of the manufacturing will be done in western Canada. This will create jobs and fuel Alberta’s economy.  

Hallett aims to market the product worldwide. Wildfire Innovations will bring ‘RainStream’ to the Okanagan later this month. After that, Hallett plans to market the towers in Brazil, Australia, and Europe. 

Congratulations on Hallett’s Alberta know-how and get ‘er done attitude!

Don Hallett at a RainStream demonstration Nov 7, 2024 | Shaughn Butts | Postmedia

Reference: https://therockies.life/an-alberta-made-solution-to-reduce-wildfire-risks/