science

This sprayable gel could prevent wildfires from catching hold here


Sprayable GEL that prevents wildfires from spreading is invented by California scientists who witnessed the devastation of Camp Wildfire in 2018

  • Developed by team of engineers at Stanford
  • Uses cellulose-based gel more commonly used with pharmaceuticals
  • Gel sprayed on grass and trees can last an entire season

A group of scientists have created a prototype for a gel that could be used to prevent wildfires from spreading.

Developed at Stanford’s School of Engineering, the gel can be applied across areas at risk for wildfires.

Made from cellulose, the gel can remain effective throughout an entire fire season and maintain its integrity despite weather effects.

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Developed by a team of Stanford engineers, this gel is made from cellulose and can be spread across areas at heightened risk of wildfire

Developed by a team of Stanford engineers, this gel is made from cellulose and can be spread across areas at heightened risk of wildfire

The project was led by Eric Appel, a materials science and engineering professor at Stanford.

Appel’s previous work had involved creating injectable hydrogels for pharmaceutical companies.

After watching the devastation of the Camp Wildfire in California in 2018, Appel wondered if he could put fire retardants in the gels rather than phramaceuticals.

After discussing the question with his brother, who had worked as a fire prevention forrester in Hawaii, Appel decided to create prototype.

‘The only way to fight wildfires currently is reactively. We wait for them to start and then we go out and we use fire retardants in order to try and put them out,’ Appel says in a video released by Stanford.

That approach has led to devastation for many. 

A treated sample of dried gas will smolder for a short period, but the gel will prevent the flames from spreading.

A treated sample of dried gas will smolder for a short period, but the gel will prevent the flames from spreading.

The grass begins to smoke as the gel goes into effect and eliminates the flames.

The grass begins to smoke as the gel goes into effect and eliminates the flames.

The Camp Wildfire was responsible for 86 deaths and more that 14,000 homes being burned.

Annually, more than 10 million acres are burned in wildfires across the country, and containing them costs $2 billion, not counting property damages and injury.

Appel’s gel prototype has been successful in preliminary tests, preventing fires in areas at high risk for fires.

WHAT CAUSES WILDFIRES? 

 85% of wildfires in the US are caused by humans

Lightning is the next most common cause of wildfires

There were 58,083 US wildfires in 2018, down from 71,499 in 2017

California has more than 2 million homes exposed to wildfire risk, almost three times more than any other state

Texas has the highest number of wildfires per year, with 10,541 in 2018

California had the most amount of space burned by wildfire in 2018, with more than 1.8 million acres affected

In an area with dried grass that has not been treated with the gel, the initial flames will be much taller and wider.

In an area with dried grass that has not been treated with the gel, the initial flames will be much taller and wider.

Fire can spread in a matter of seconds across dry, grassy areas that are not treated with the gel.

Fire can spread in a matter of seconds across dry, grassy areas that are not treated with the gel.



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