California Fire Agencies to Evaluate New Acoustic Fire Suppression Backpack Technology

LOS ANGELES (May 26, 2026) -- As California faces longer wildfire seasons, water constraints, and increasing pressure on frontline fire agencies, Sonic Fire Tech, a NASA-inspired fire tech startup developing infrasound-based fire defense systems, today announced a statewide initiative to place 100 acoustic fire suppression backpack systems into the hands of California fire departments for real-world operational research, controlled testing, and wildfire initial-attack evaluation.

The campaign comes as California fire agencies increasingly explore new tools that improve firefighter mobility, reduce refill limitations, and strengthen early suppression capabilities in remote or resource-constrained environments. As of today, approximately 25% of available participation slots have already been claimed, with growing interest from fire agencies, wildfire researchers, and Firewise and Fire Safe community alliances throughout the state.

The Sonic Backpack: Developing A New Tool for California Fire Service

Rather than spraying water or chemicals, the system uses targeted low-frequency acoustic waves designed to interfere with combustion during early-stage ignition events. Developed from NASA-inspired thermoacoustic research, Sonic Fire Tech’s portable backpack platform uses acoustic wave technology designed to suppress ignition and disrupt combustion without water, foam, or chemical discharge. The Sonic Backpack, with each demonstration unit valued at approximately $25,000, is designed to provide more than two hours of runtime per charge and is being evaluated for select residential and commercial initial-attack use cases, homeless encampment fires within California’s most populated cities, in wildfire hotspot suppression, and wildland-urban interface applications.

Sonic Fire Tech recently demonstrated the technology in partnership with the Contra Costa Fire Department, where regional agencies observed live controlled fire suppression scenarios.

“We’re glad we were able to host that demonstration to show other fire agencies in the Bay Area what new technology is out there to consider,” said Chris Bachman, Contra Costa County Fire Marshal. “One thing we’ll be looking at is whether this has a role in wildland applications. We’re going to conduct some additional evaluations, including prescribed burning, to see how it performs in the wildland-urban interface.”

Growing Interest and Demand in California and Beyond

Participating agencies are expected to evaluate the technology across mobility, runtime, ease of deployment, and early-stage ignition suppression scenarios during controlled operational environments.

“This campaign is about putting the Sonic Fire Tech Backpack directly into the hands of firefighters and generating real-world operational data to inform further technical development,” said Remington Hotchkis, Chief Commercialization Officer of Sonic Fire Tech. “We believe acoustic suppression technology has the potential to become an important tool for the fire service, especially in environments where incipient stage fires can be suppressed without significant collateral damage and water availability, refill logistics, or collateral damage are major limitations.”

Leveraging Innovation to Protect Communities

The initiative follows growing discussions across California about how emerging technologies can help communities better prepare for increasingly destructive wildfires, particularly after fires in communities such as Altadena and Pacific Palisades highlighted how quickly flames can spread once homes ignite.

“The research really shows that once fire entered communities like Altadena and Pacific Palisades, it just moved house to house; homes then became fuel for the fire,” said Michael Soller, Deputy Commissioner for Communications at California Department of Insurance. “Technology and innovation have an absolutely critical role to play in protecting people from wildfires. We are learning more every day about what makes communities safer.”

Unlike traditional suppression systems that rely on hoses, refill stations, or chemical agents, the portable backpack platform is designed for mobility in rugged terrain and remote environments where rapid intervention can be critical.

Join the Initiative

The grassroots, community-based campaign is currently accepting letters of intent from fire departments and fire marshals. With support from individuals, nonprofit organizations, foundations, and community wildfire preparedness groups, it is also seeking additional sponsors, grant collaborators, and fire agency partners to expand participation. Fire departments, nonprofits, foundations, and organizations interested in supporting or participating in the initiative can learn more by contacting Sonic Fire Tech.

About Sonic Fire Tech

Sonic Fire Tech develops infrasound systems to prevent fires before ignition, using no water, chemicals, or operational delays. Originating in aerospace engineering, the company serves homeowners, public agencies, and critical infrastructure. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, its goal is to advance fire defense. Sonic Fire Tech has raised $3.5 million in seed funding co-led by Khosla Ventures, Third Sphere, and AirAngels, and was named a CES 2026 Innovation Awards® Honoree in the Smart Home category by the Consumer Technology Association. To learn more, request a demo, visit https://sonicfiretech.com.

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