Reducing the Risk of Ember Attack with a Fire Halo

Saturday, March 1

9 – 9:20am

Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre

33-39 Acacia Street Katoomba

Fire Halo presentation by inventor Frank Inzitari

Fire Halo is a fire-prevention system that cleans your gutters and can keep them flooded with water during bushfires. It was invented by Lithgow cousins Frank Inzitari and Frank Capomollo and featured on Shark Tank, the business reality TV series. The product is designed to make it easier to prevent homes catching fire from ember attacks, which are the cause of around 75-80 per cent of bushfire damage to properties. It can also provide redirection of chemicals away from your tank when cleaning your roof or solar panels.

The Fire Halo presentation kicks off a full day of fun, inspiration and useful information to help you reduce living costs, connect to community, reduce disaster risk and restore the health of our planet.

Enjoy live music, plant based food, stalls, demonstrations and talks at the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre on Saturday 1 March from 9am to 3pm.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Frogs of the Blue Mountains Exhibition: see photographs of all the known frogs of the Blue Mountains and listen to their calls with the Australian Museum’s Frog ID app.

DEMONSTRATIONS:

• Michael Tricket from Able Mobile Sawmill will demonstrate how you can turn fallen trees into usable timber rather than just woodchip
• Teya Brooks Pribac from Plant Inspired will return with her popular Plant Based Cheesemaking Demonstration and Tasting.
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SPEAKERS:

• Brittany Mitchell, conservation biologist and FrogID validator at the Australian Museum, will share her experience of working on FrogID, and her research: “Australia’s frog species in the Anthropocene – habitat loss, climate change, behaviour, and disease”. She’ll show how anyone with a smartphone can use the Australian Museum’s free FrogID app to help protect the frogs of the Blue Mountains by submitting frog calls for conservation.
• Dr Hans Coster: Biophysicist, Bioengineer and builder of Middle Earth (an underground sustainable and disaster-resistant home run on nickel iron batteries) will discuss how we can protect our biosphere to restore the health of our planet. (video below)
• Frank Inzitari from Fire Halo (featured on Shark Tank): Will discuss his affordable and versatile invention that helps you clean your gutters while protecting your home from the threat of bushfire ember attack (video below)
• Mark Liebman, Engineer and Founder of Sustainability Workshop, will share the latest research on Bushfire Sprinkler Systems and then do a guided tour of our Water Demonstration Site, including the 150K litre underground water tank built on site as a demonstration of how we could collect stormwater at the end of flamezone streets around our City to reduce stormwater damage and protect against future fires.
• Karina Rafailov, founder of Earthy Haus and Kirstie Wulf from Shelter Building Design sharing How to Build Smarter using Passive House Design and natural building materials.
• Liam Ramage, threatened species officer from the Blue Mountains Conservation Society on the unseen threat of concrete
• Wildplant Rescue on rescuing native plants from building sites.
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WORKSHOPS:

• Upcycling Fashion with Sherlie McMillan (Bookings essential: Cost $10)
• Boomerang Bags: Make Your Own
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TOUR:

Tour our Water Demonstration Site which includes how to build a frogpond, wicking beds, drip irrigation, domestic and underground water tanks for firefighting, a composting ‘cool seat’ and demonstration bushfire sprinkler systems.

STALLS:

• Blackheath Community Farm
• Clifftop Harvest
• WIRES Blue Mountains
• Bibi’s Kitchen
• Secret Creek Cakes
• Thai Street Food
• HM Coffee
• Permaculture Matters
• Blue Mountains Conservation Society
• Wildplant Rescue
• The Repair Network
• Katoomba RFS
• Fire Halo
• Lacebrook Stitchery

…. and more

GAMES & FUN ACTIVITIES:

Ping pong and giant chess

Children’s art activity with Sarah Daniel from Kindle Hill

BUSHCARE:

Check out our monthly Planetary Health Bushcare group which is regenerating habitat for wildlife on the Planetary Health site. Find out how you can get involved.