A Protective Shield for Forests

The “fire wall” project developed by Izmir University of Economics (IEU) faculty members Prof. Dr. Celalettin Kozanoğlu and Prof. Dr. Murat Aşkar, with the aim of extinguishing forest fires quickly and preventing them from spreading over large areas, has been deemed eligible for a patent. The fire wall, which can be installed around transformers, thermal power plants, hospitals, public buildings or residential areas located especially near forests, will be capable of spraying water up to 150 meters. Thanks to its prefabricated structure, the fire walls can be easily transported, rapidly assembled and remain active 24 hours a day.

The project, carried out by Prof. Dr. Celalettin Kozanoğlu, faculty member at the Department of Civil Engineering at Izmir University of Economics, and Prof. Dr. Murat Aşkar, faculty member at the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, is expected to make a significant contribution to firefighting efforts. The fire walls, registered and granted a patent by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office, will be equipped with pumps capable of rapidly spraying water.

Water Will Accumulate in Reservoirs

In the event of a fire, the water pumps inside the wall will be activated immediately with the help of temperature-measuring sensors and will intervene in the area where the fire is detected. The walls will prevent the fire from spreading over large areas and serve as a barrier against the flames. The fire walls will be able to discharge approximately 800 tons of water per minute into their surroundings, while also reducing the costs associated with extinguishing fires. The water required by the pumps will be supplied from large reservoirs to be built around the walls or underground.

“The Risk of Fire Is Increasing”

Providing information about the project, Prof. Dr. Murat Aşkar, faculty member at the IEU Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, stated that the fire wall functions as a technological safety mechanism.

“Forest fires have become a multidimensional risk that threatens not only natural areas but also energy facilities, residential areas and critical infrastructure. In response to this risk, we focused on designing a system that can detect and intervene in fires at the earliest stage. The fire wall we developed is not merely a physical barrier in the traditional sense. With its sensors, pump systems and electronic control infrastructure, it is a technological safety mechanism that detects, evaluates and rapidly responds to fire. Thanks to temperature-measuring sensors, the system is automatically activated in the event of a possible fire and aims to prevent the spread of flames through its water-spraying capability,” he said.

“A Very Important Step”

Emphasizing that the system can provide significant protection especially around critical points such as transformers near forests, thermal power plants, hospitals, public buildings and residential areas, Prof. Dr. Aşkar said:

“We know that fires can be caused by short circuits, sparks or technical faults in electrical infrastructure. Therefore, electronic monitoring, rapid detection and automatic intervention capacity are among the most valuable aspects of our project. This project represents an important step toward public safety, environmental protection and the use of new technologies in firefighting.”

“It Will Create a Line of Defense”

Prof. Dr. Celalettin Kozanoğlu, faculty member at the IEU Department of Civil Engineering, stated that the prefabricated structure of the fire walls would provide a major advantage in terms of implementation.

“One of the issues we prioritized most while developing the fire wall project was ensuring that the system could be applied in the field quickly, safely and practically. Prefabricated fire walls offer a system that is portable, rapidly assembled and easily positioned according to the conditions of the area where they are needed. The fact that the system can be adapted to different areas without being fixed to a single point also strengthens pre-disaster preparedness capacity. In addition, the fire wall’s design to operate actively 24 hours a day enables it to serve as the first line of defense against fire, even in situations where human intervention may be delayed,” he said.

“It Can Be Applied on Different Terrains”

Prof. Dr. Celalettin Kozanoğlu continued: “From the perspective of civil engineering, the fundamental value of this project lies in combining structural safety with functionality. The modular structure of the system also allows planning according to different terrain conditions and varying scales of need. It is possible to position fire walls around a facility, along the boundary of a residential area or at critical infrastructure points based on risk analysis. The fact that this project has received a patent is highly valuable in showing that we have developed an innovative, applicable engineering solution that responds to a real need in the field. I believe that fire walls will make a significant contribution, especially in high-risk regions, by increasing structural safety and helping reduce loss of life, economic damage and environmental destruction.”