HIAWASSEE, Ga. – While the advantages of living in a forested land are plenty, the natural environment also poses risks such as the potential for wildfires. Towns County Firewise President Michael Courey met with the community this week to promote a tool designed to protect homes from such an event.

WASP Gutter Mount Sprinkler System in action.

A gutter-attaching sprinkler system designed by WASP, a Canadian-based company, is designed to spray water on homes, deterring an approaching wildfire from engaging the structure. Courey displayed the product, explaining that a garden hose connects to the device, projecting water over the building and up to 30 feet beyond. “It offers a way of decreasing the risk of a forest fire impacting your home. It’s good for flying embers that go up and lodge themself in the eaves of your home or even around your home in the small crevices. So it will saturate the ground after a period of time and decrease that,” Courey said.

The cost of the complete Wildfire Protection Kit, which includes two sprinkler devices and two hoses, is $175 if ordered directly through the company. The dual sprinklers, however, can be purchased at a lower price without the hose attachments. Courey stressed during the presentation that Firewise does not benefit from the sale of the product, other than gaining peace of mind that homeowners are better protected.

“Many homes lost to wildfire burn from the roof down, started from these windblown embers,” WASP Wildfire Prevention explains. “These spot fires often occur many miles from the fire itself, even if the fire is contained. It makes sense that one of the smartest ways to help protect your home is to keep the roof and surrounding area wet. One of the advantages of the WASP Gutter Mount Sprinkler System is it can be turned on and left on during an evacuation. Deployed by an extendable pole, the lightweight bracket easily and quickly attaches to the existing gutters on most homes. Installs in minutes…no ladder or tools required! Complete with high-quality agricultural grade sprinkler heads rated up to a 33’ (10m) spray radius (Spray radius is dependent on water pressure. Actual results may vary). The head is a tenth the weight of standard brass sprinkler heads and is non-impact, conserving water and able to work with very low pressure. Incredibly durable and reliable! Water is supplied from your home’s existing hose taps.”

Click here to learn more about the WASP Gutter Mount Sprinkler System

Towns County Firewise Communities Citizen Coalition is comprised of local, state and federal fire managers, RC&D, and local officials that promote wildfire education and prevention in the area.