NASA-Inspired Wildfire Defense System Deploys Across California to Protect Homes

Recognized As A CES 2026 Innovation Awards® Honoree In the Smart Home Product Category, Sonic Fire Tech Launches Damage-Free Infrasound Suppression System in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and At-Risk Communities

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sonic Fire Tech, the firetech startup pioneering next-generation wildfire protection, today announced the commercial rollout of its Sonic Home Defense system, the first residential wildfire defense solution to use infrasound technology to prevent ignition without water, chemicals, or delay. The company has been named a CES 2026 Innovation Awards® Honoree by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) for this breakthrough system, recognizing its leadership in redefining home wildfire defense through safe, sustainable innovation in the Smart Home product category.

As wildfire seasons grow longer, hotter, and more destructive, Sonic Fire Tech is bringing its NASA-inspired technology directly to homeowners on the frontlines. The system autonomously detects and neutralizes embers, the cause of over 90% of wildfire-related home ignitions, before they spark, using low-frequency, inaudible sound waves. No water. No flooding. No foam. No collateral damage. Just safe, silent, zero-damage protection inside and out. Sonic Fire Tech aligns with IBHS and California State Zone Zero Perimeter Defense guidelines for wildfire-prepared homes.

With its first installations underway in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Lake Tahoe, and hundreds of homeowners requesting demos, Sonic Fire Tech is fast becoming the leading name in residential wildfire defense.

“Wildfire danger isn’t abstract for me, it’s personal,” said Remington Hotchkis, Chief Commercialization Officer of Sonic Fire Tech, serial entrepreneur, and recent winner of MIT’s EDP Competition. “When my former home in Altadena burned in the Los Angeles fires earlier this year, I saw firsthand that it wasn’t the wall of flame that destroyed homes, it was the embers. In that moment I realized that this part of the global wildfire crisis is solvable.” Just a week later, in MIT’s entrepreneurship competition, Hotchkis built a commercialization plan with an international team using MIT’s AI business-modeling tools to validate how quickly a technology like Sonic Fire Tech could produce substantial impact. Soon after, he joined forces with Geoff Bruder and Sonic Fire Tech to bring the technology out of the lab and into the hands of California homeowners. What began as a personal response to a loss has since evolved into a mission to make wildfire defense accessible to homes and communities around the world.

Sonic Fire Tech’s Home Defense system delivers instant, zero-damage protection, keeping homes safe without flooding, residue, or collateral harm. It’s safe for residents, pets, and wildlife, and integrates seamlessly into any home design, with concealed ducting through gutters or attics for an invisible installation. Designed for modern living, Sonic Fire Tech is designed to install quickly and seamlessly into your home’s aesthetic, operates off grid during power outages via long-lasting backup batteries, and provides homeowners with real-time alerts and remote control through the Sonic Alert App.

“Across California, homeowners who live in fire zones face skyrocketing insurance costs, canceled policies, and stricter building codes,” said Geoff Bruder, CEO and co-founder of Sonic Fire Tech. “We’ve spent years in research, engineering, and field testing and now, we’re putting our part of the solution into action, making life safer for families, neighborhoods, and the first responders who protect them.”

“Over the last couple of years, PG&E has built a portfolio of wildfire risk mitigation strategies, and we work closely with communities to solve these challenges,” said Hayk Hovhannisyan, Senior Manager of Wildfire Risk Operations at PG&E. “Technologies such as Sonic Fire Tech, can help bridge the gap between detection and response. These technologies play a vital role in bringing cost-effective wildfire risk reduction solutions to homeowners.”

“As insurance companies are retreating from the state, we’re at a critical point where the department has finally embraced technology,” added Ricardo Lara, California State Insurance Commissioner. “We can't have innovators siloed, because we want to hear and know about your technology. We need to be at the forefront of this innovation.”

Community demo events began in November across California. Homeowners, HOAs, and builders can sign up now at www.sonicfiretech.com to reserve a live demonstration.

About Sonic Fire Tech

Sonic Fire Tech develops infrasound systems to prevent fires before ignition, using no water, chemicals, or operational delays. Originating in aerospace engineering, the company serves homeowners, public agencies, and critical infrastructure. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, its goal is to advance fire defense. For more information, visit, https://sonicfiretech.com.