How Vancouver Used FireBozz Cannons to Save Its Urban Forest

💧 From Wildfires to Urban Forests: How Vancouver Used FireBozz to Save Its Trees

Originally deployed in 2018, rediscovered during crisis in 2021.

During a record-breaking drought in the summer of 2021, the Vancouver Park Board turned to an unexpected ally: FireBozz high-pressure water cannons. Built for wildfires, these industrial-grade units were repurposed to help irrigate trees at risk of dying from extreme heat and dryness.

🔄 A Brilliant Pivot: Fire Suppression Meets Urban Forestry

With no significant rainfall for over 40 days, city crews faced the near-impossible task of manually watering thousands of trees. The solution? Roll out the same cannons designed to protect communities from wildfires.

Originally purchased to defend Stanley Park from fire risk, the FireBozz water cannons were mounted on flatbed trucks and deployed in urban parks to blast water across large tree-dense areas — fast, efficient, and effective.

🌱 Why It Still Matters Today

Although this event happened in 2021, it’s more relevant than ever in 2025:

• Climate extremes are increasing — Droughts and wildfires often go hand in hand.

• Cross-functional equipment saves money and time — One tool, many missions.

• Municipal innovation builds public trust — Vancouver set an example in adaptive thinking.

🧠 Fun Fact from the Field

“It’s kind of like a giant sprinkler system,” said Park Board superintendent Chad Cowles in the 2021 report.
FireBozz was deployed in parks like Queen Elizabeth and Stanley Park to cover large areas in minimal time — something crews couldn’t do with hoses alone.

🔁 Throwback Use Case. Future-Proof Thinking.

This story is more than a quirky headline. It’s a case study in versatility, showing how FireBozz can shift from high-stakes wildfire defense to practical urban application — proving its value even when the flames are nowhere in sight.

🔗 Read the original Daily Hive article