As wildfires ravage more of the U.S. each year, one startup is betting that prevention, not just recovery, can save lives and homes. Frontline Wildfire Defense, a Jackson Hole–based wildfire protection company, has closed a $48 million Series A round led by Norwest, combining primary and secondary capital to expand its smart wildfire defense systems across fire-prone states. The timing could not be more critical: in 2024 alone, U.S. wildfires consumed 8.9 million acres, more than triple the previous year, and Los Angeles fires recently destroyed roughly 16,000 structures, sending insurance markets into crisis.
Founded by landscape ecologist and fire mitigation expert Harry Statter, Frontline has developed a prevention-first system that marries hardware, software, and data analytics. Its exterior sprinklers and Class-A foam deployment can be retrofitted to existing homes or built into new ones, and the system functions remotely, letting homeowners evacuate while maintaining protection. Built-in battery backups, satellite connectivity, and water intelligence ensure that even compromised municipal infrastructure does not impede defense. During the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, Frontline’s systems protected 61 homes, achieving a 96% survival rate.
“The Los Angeles fires demonstrated what we’ve always believed: proactive, technology-driven wildfire defense works,” says Statter. “While traditional approaches focus on reaction and recovery, we’re enabling communities to live safely with wildfire through prevention and preparation. This round of funding will accelerate our ability to scale protection for thousands of at-risk homeowners and businesses.”
Frontline’s market traction is being fueled not only by climate change but also by collapsing insurance coverage. In California, insurers non-renewed roughly 788,000 homeowner policies in 2023, while FAIR Plan enrollments surpassed 600,000 policies by mid-2025, illustrating the growing protection gap. Strategic partnerships with builders like Burdge Architects, Sekisui House U.S., and Thomas James Homes signal a shift toward fire-adapted communities. Industry recognition has followed: TIME named the Frontline Defense System 2 one of its Best Inventions 2025, and the company has won accolades from the International Builders’ Show and Pacific Coast Builders Conference.
Editorial Perspective:
Frontline’s approach highlights a subtle but crucial evolution in disaster mitigation: the shift from reactive firefighting to proactive, autonomous defense. In an era when wildfires are intensifying and insurance solutions are failing, Frontline’s technology positions itself as both a safety net and a market differentiator for homebuilders and communities. Its high survival rate during recent fires provides empirical evidence that integrated, technology-enabled protection is viable.
From an industry standpoint, the opportunity is enormous. As urban-wildland interfaces expand and climate-related fire risk grows, homeowners and municipalities are searching for scalable, reliable solutions. Frontline’s integration of software intelligence, sprinkler automation, and remote monitoring could establish a blueprint for future smart-resilient infrastructure. Yet execution will be key: scaling installation networks, managing water resources, and maintaining reliability under extreme conditions will determine whether Frontline becomes the de facto standard for wildfire defense — or remains a niche solution for high-risk properties.
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