Colorado innovators create wildfire sprinkler system for homes that can detect heat from approaching flames

Two graduates from Colorado's Summit High School who grew up watching wildfires threaten their mountain hometowns are now leading the charge to help homeowners protect their properties, even when they are miles away.

Their company, Defense Delivered, builds fully autonomous wildfire sprinkler systems that can detect heat from approaching flames and sparks and automatically hose down a home in targeted areas to ideally prevent it from burning.

Founder and CEO Duston Dolamore says the idea came after the 2021 Ptarmigan Fire came uncomfortably close to his family's home in Silverthorne.

"When we experienced that fire, the feeling of helplessness, that really nothing could be done, it drove us to make a working solution," Dolamore said. "We've essentially returned to the community we were raised in to try and give back to it. "

The system uses thermal cameras to sense heat and activate sprinklers only where needed, spraying about 35 gallons of water per minute per zone. That efficiency is key, according to Division Chief Mathew Benedict with Red, White & Blue Fire Protection District.

"We have to be smart with every drop of water," Benedict said. "A system like this that uses about 35 gallons a minute, that's a low drag on the municipal system, and it can make a real difference."

Unlike traditional sprinkler systems attached to homes for wildfire defense, Defense Delivered's setup is designed to withstand Colorado's high-altitude climate. It automatically drains itself to prevent freeze damage and can operate year-round.

"A system a homeowner can put on their house and feel confident about even through freeze-thaw cycles is a big deal," Benedict said.

While wildfire strategy is constantly evolving, Benedict said in tandem with general mitigation around one's property -- and barring a home in the middle of the forest surrounded by fuel -- this could be the difference between an entire neighborhood going up in flames, and those "miracle homes" that seem to have been saved by divine intervention. 

"There are companies trying different ideas out there. This company has gone at it following the good science, the wildfire science, the wildfire physics ... they're looking at homes and looking at their vulnerability and putting water where the home is most vulnerable. In my opinion, that's a win."

Beyond providing peace of mind, the technology could also help homeowners navigate Colorado's challenging insurance market, where wildfire risk has made coverage harder to find.

"Making a home more insurable or more attractive to insurance companies is a big deal," Dolamore added.

What started as an idea born from fear has now grown into a locally made solution built for Colorado's toughest terrain, dampening wildfire dangers before they ever spark.