Back

PreFireX in Action: MAICh Wind Tunnel Tests Confirm Powerful Fire-Stopping Effect

Wildfires don’t wait — and fire prevention solutions can’t either too. That’s why real-world, independent testing of fire retardants is crucial. One of the most compelling recent evaluations of PreFireX, Xpyro’s long-term fire retardant, comes from the Forest Fire Laboratory of the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh) in Crete, Greece.

In a controlled wind tunnel environment, researchers simulated forest fire behavior over a fuel bed of dead pine needles — a highly flammable, real-world fuel source. What they found was compelling evidence that PreFireX delivers powerful fire-stopping results both immediately and even a full day after application.

Testing the Limits of PreFireX

In the test setup, the fuel bed was divided into four zones:

  • Untreated bed (90 cm)

  • Treated bed with PreFireX (60 cm)

  • Control bed (30 cm)

  • Empty bed (30 cm)

The treated area was sprayed with 1.5 liters per square meter of PreFireX, and tests were run both one hour and 24 hours after application. To capture data, five thermocouple sensors recorded temperature changes at 0.5-second intervals, while a wind speed of 1.3–1.4 m/s simulated wildfire spread.

The Results: Fire Stops in Its Tracks

Figure 1: PreFireX stopped the fire one hour after the treatment.

One Hour After Application:
When the fire hit the PreFireX-treated area, its rate of spread dropped sharply, and the flames were extinguished after burning just 10% of the treated bed.

Figure 2: PreFireX stopped the fire 24 hours
after the treatment.

Twenty-Four Hours Later:
A second fire test conducted a day after application yielded similarly impressive results. Despite a slightly higher fire spread rate, PreFireX still stopped the flames, with only 40% of the treated bed affected.

What’s more, the fuel moisture content stayed significantly higher in treated areas — suggesting that PreFireX slows down the drying of fuels, effectively prolonging protection.

Scientific Backing Meets Real-World Value

The team at MAICh concluded that PreFireX offers strong fire-retardant capacity whether applied shortly before fire arrival or up to a day in advance. It not only reduced the Rate of Spread (ROS) but also lowered flame length and fire intensity, leading to full extinguishment in both tests.

These findings confirm what Xpyro has long emphasized: PreFireX isn’t just a reactive measure — it’s proactive protection that buys time, reduces risk, and strengthens fire defense planning.

Ready to Prevent the Next Fire?

Whether you’re safeguarding critical infrastructure, wildland areas, or high-risk perimeters, PreFireX is ready to deliver measurable protection.

📞 +358 40 731 5545
📧 harri.keskinen@xpyro.fi

Tested in the lab. Proven in the field. PreFireX is the future of fire prevention.

Related articles

PreFireX Proves Its Strength in the Field: Tested by Finland’s Emergency Services Academy

When wildfire prevention is your mission, field-tested results matter. That’s why the Emergency Services Academy Finland (ESAF) took PreFireX, an innovative fire prevention solution developed by Xpyro, into the field for real-world trials. The outcome? A powerful confirmation that PreFireX performs exactly as promised — even under variable weather and terrain conditions.

PreFireX in Action: MAICh Wind Tunnel Tests Confirm Powerful Fire-Stopping Effect

Wildfires don’t wait — and fire prevention solutions can’t either too. That’s why real-world, independent testing of fire retardants is crucial. One of the most compelling recent evaluations of PreFireX, Xpyro’s long-term fire retardant, comes from the Forest Fire Laboratory of the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh) in Crete, Greece.

PreFireX: The Groundbreaking Fire Retardant Protecting Land, Lives, and the Planet

Each year, wildfires destroy millions of hectares of forest, farmland, and property across the globe. Beyond the visible damage, they also release huge volumes of CO₂, disrupt ecosystems, and endanger human lives and livelihoods. In a world facing intensifying climate risks, effective and proactive fire prevention has never been more urgent.
Scroll to Top