‘Fire Towers’ for Forest Fires

Prof. Dr. Celalettin Kozanoğlu and Prof. Dr. Murat Aşkar from Izmir University of Economics (IUE) have developed a ‘fire tower’ project designed to extinguish forest fires as quickly as possible. The tower, which can reach a height of 50 meters and has a water capacity of 250 tons, can instantly detect fires through its temperature and smart flame-smoke sensors and spray water up to 200 meters using its internal pumps. Constructed from prefabricated concrete, the tower, which can be easily installed within forests and withstand temperatures up to 1000 degrees Celsius, will draw the required water from underground sources and store it in its reservoir. Two years ago, the duo launched a ‘fire wall’ project to protect transformers, thermal power plants, and residential areas, and now they have added another exemplary project to their work by obtaining the patent for the ‘fire tower.’

The ‘fire tower’ project, brought to life after three years of work by Prof. Dr. Celalettin Kozanoğlu, Head of IUE Department of Civil Engineering, and Prof. Dr. Murat Aşkar, Faculty Member of IUE Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, can be easily assembled due to its prefabricated structure.

Inside the fire tower, pumps capable of rapidly spraying water will be installed. The tower will also feature a special reservoir that can store 250 tons of water. On the outside, there will be artificial intelligence-based smart flame-smoke sensors to monitor instant temperature changes. In the event of a fire, the sensors will activate the water pumps inside the tower immediately, allowing it to intervene in the affected area. The tower will be able to release approximately 50 tons of water around its surroundings in just 2 minutes.

WILL OPERATE AT NIGHT ALSO

Prof. Dr. Celalettin Kozanoğlu emphasized the importance of the project, highlighting the recent significant increase in forest fires. He pointed out that the tower could also operate at night and stated, “The fire tower we designed as urban furniture can be easily produced with local and national products. There will be no dependence on external sources in the tower’s production. The fire tower will have superior resistance to floods, earthquakes, fires, and wind. Thanks to its modular prefabrication design, it can be produced quickly. The tower will be able to release 50 tons of water over an area of approximately 30 acres (200 meters) in 2 minutes. Doing this with a helicopter is very hard. Considering the advantages the project offers, I believe it is quite feasible.”

RESISTANT TO 200 KM/H WINDS

Prof. Dr. Murat Aşkar, Faculty Member of IUE Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, said, “Our fire wall project was designed to protect switchyards, transformers, thermal power plants, industrial facilities, and residential areas from forest fires. The biggest difference with our tower is that it can be directly positioned in suitable locations within the forest. Given the challenges in accessing some fire zones, it allows for more direct and effective intervention. This way, while saving millions in firefighting costs, the fire can also be extinguished within minutes. The tower will withstand winds of up to 200 kilometers per hour. In addition to protecting forests, fire towers will also protect facilities, cities, city hospitals, and greenhouses from fires. The tower can easily intervene in areas where helicopters and ground vehicles cannot reach. Additionally, helicopters can draw water from the reservoir on top of the fire tower if needed.”