Sonic Fire Tech has built a low-frequency (~20 Hz) sound-wave system that vibrates oxygen molecules to slow combustion. Trials are planned with two California utilities and 50 homeowner pilot installs are contracted for 2026. The system is designed to protect structures up to about 25 feet, best preventing small fires from spreading, and is intended as a complementary layer alongside drones, AI detection and firefighters.
Sound Waves Could Shield California Homes and Businesses From Wildfires
(Credit: Sonic Fire Tech)
California startup Sonic Fire Tech has developed a novel fire-suppression system that uses low-frequency sound waves to disrupt combustion and slow the spread of flames. The company plans trials with two California utilities and has contracts to install 50 homeowner pilot systems in 2026.
How It Works
The system emits directed, subsonic sound waves around the 20 Hz range to vibrate oxygen molecules. According to the company, those vibrations make it harder for oxygen to mix effectively with fuel, disrupting the chemical reaction that sustains a fire. Because the frequencies are below the threshold of most human hearing, the effect can be produced without disturbing nearby residents.
Performance and Limitations
Sonic Fire Tech says the units are designed to affect fires up to about 25 feet away and are best suited to preventing small blazes from escalating rather than extinguishing fully developed infernos. The lower-frequency approach requires specialized hardware but can operate over greater distances compared with higher-frequency sound-based prototypes.
"It's basically vibrating the oxygen faster than the fuel can use it, so you block the chemical reaction," said Geoff Bruder, a former NASA engineer and co-founder of Sonic Fire Tech.
Deployment and Context
The company envisions mounting systems on eaves and roofs to create a protective perimeter around static structures. If a nearby fire begins to spread, the sound barrier could slow the advance long enough for firefighters to respond or for the blaze to burn out before reaching new fuel.
Using sound to fight fires is not entirely new: DARPA researched the concept from 2008–2011, and George Mason University demonstrated a working sound-wave extinguisher in 2015. Sonic Fire Tech’s emphasis on very low frequencies is a distinct technical choice that prioritizes reach and non-disruption of people nearby.
Why It Matters
California’s repeated large wildfires have driven interest in layered defenses. Sonic Fire Tech’s system is framed as a complementary tool alongside heat-resistant drones, AI-powered early detection, improved building hardening, and frontline firefighting. Results from the upcoming utility trials and the 2026 homeowner pilots will be key to assessing real-world effectiveness, scalability, and regulatory acceptance.
