Firefighting is essential for the preservation of human life, biodiversity, clean air and the overall ecological health of our planet. However, as cities expand and climate change brings more extreme cases of wildfires, the environmental cost of firefighting is rising.
Fire suppression carries a heavy price tag in terms of its carbon emissions, water consumption levels and the indirect damage to flora and fauna through the lingering effects of certain foams and other treatments. Reducing this cost without compromising the efficacy of firefighting efforts or the safety of the firefighters themselves is a careful but necessary balancing act.
Counting the Cost of fighting fires
Carbon footprint: Assessing the firefighting industry’s carbon footprint is complicated by the non-standard approaches used from country to country. However, fuel consumption from fire trucks and fire suppression planes, the manufacturing and disposal of firefighters’ PPE and gear – it all comes at a significant CO2 cost. Admittedly, the carbon cost of not fighting fires is undoubtedly much higher. In 2023, wildfires alone produced an estimated 2.4 billion metric tons of CO2, which is roughly equivalent to that of the global cement industry. Still, reducing the firefighting industry’s carbon footprint is still an important ecological factor.
Water consumption: A standard fire truck can pump between 750-13,000 litres of water per minute, quickly resulting in tens of thousands of litres used to tackle a single urban blaze. Fighting a wildfire can require the use of millions of litres.
Toxic suppressants: Fire retardant/suppressant chemicals are a vital tool in combatting wildfires and urban blazes too large to contain with standard pumped water. However, several long-term retardants – such as those containing ammonia phosphate salts as well as class-A foams and water enhancers – can be toxic when exposed to bodies of water. Leeching into groundwater, rivers or streams can prove harmful to aquatic species and anyone drinking the water. A 2023 study assessed the toxicity and risk of firefighting water additives to aquatic invertebrates and found that the majority of the additives they assessed could be hazardous to biota.
How is the firefighting industry going green?
Energy efficiency measures: Anything that boosts the energy efficiency of firefighting gear will positive impact its overall ecological friendliness as the industry edges towards carbon neutrality. Electric vehicles, low-carbon-intensive production methods for firefighter PPE, on-site renewable energy for fire stations and support infrastructure all contribute to this goal. Berlin was one of the world’s first major cities to begin incorporating electric fire trucks into its fleet. This year it added a further 5 electric firefighting vehicles into regular service.
Non-toxic fire suppressants: Innovators around the world are constantly developing new formulations of fire retardants and suppressants that have either lower toxicity or are completely non-toxic in nature. Recent wins include a new hydrogel developed by researchers at Stanford University in the USA, which can be applied to ignition-prone areas of forest and the gel maintains its fire prevention properties through peak fire season.
Drones: Aerial surveillance is an invaluable advantage in both urban and wildfire scenarios but before the advent of drone technology firefighters needed to rely on helicopters and planes. Modern drones now offer better surveillance accuracy while incurring substantially lower CO2 costs when comparing battery/fuel usage ratios. Last year, a team from Portugal’s University of Coimbra developed a new lightweight drone model that can actively help put out fires using its ported nozzle system to haul a fireproof hose into place up to 15 metres above the ground.
Technology allows us to fight fires smarter, and greener
Every industry is striving for productivity and efficiency gains while lightening its impact on our shared environmental health. Firefighting is no different, and forces around the world have been quick to embrace a technology-driven approach to upgrading their equipment and tactics.
As the industry continues to develop more effective means of preventing and suppressing fires in all manner of scenarios, innovation and technological sophistication are unlocking previously unthinkable levels of sustainability for an activity that puts the sanctity of life above all other concerns.