The Palisades Fire reached the coast in January 2025. In its wake, NanoTech protected a Pacific Coast Highway retaining wall near the Getty Villa with Wildfire Shield, using both on-site and shop-applied off-site coating to move at emergency speed.
After the destructive January 2025 Palisades wildfire, NanoTech Materials worked with Caltrans District 7, general contractor Skanska, off-site contractor Squires Lumber Co. and consulting engineer Bureau Veritas to harden a Pacific Coast Highway retaining wall near the Getty Villa with Wildfire Shield. Two application paths ran in parallel: Squires Lumber shop-applied Wildfire Shield to the wall's wood timber lagging off-site, while Skanska crews coated the wood timber lagging, steel and concrete elements in place.
The timeline tells the story. Fire in January, a meeting with the Department of Transportation in June, applicator training with Skanska in October, project launch in November. That is how fast NanoTech can stand up certified applicators to protect rebuilt and at-risk wooden infrastructure after a wildfire.
Project at a glance
Client | Department of Transportation (Caltrans District 7) |
Location | Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades (near the Getty Villa), California |
Contractor | Skanska (general contractor); Squires Lumber Co. (off-site contractor) |
Product | NanoTech Materials Wildfire Shield |
Scope | Pacific Coast Highway retaining wall: wood timber lagging, steel and concrete elements |
Application | On-site plus off-site shop-applied |
Timeline | Palisades Fire (Jan 2025), DOT meeting (Jun), Skanska training (Oct), launch (Nov 2025) |
Substrate | Wood timber lagging (off-site and on-site); steel and concrete elements (on-site) |
On + Off-siteApplication methods | All 4 sidesOff-site coverage | Class AASTM E84 (0 / 0) |
Rebuilding a coastal artery after the Palisades Fire
The January 2025 Palisades Fire devastated Pacific Palisades. The Pacific Coast Highway, a critical coastal artery and evacuation route, needed emergency repairs to its roadside retaining structures. The retaining wall assembly combines wood timber lagging with steel and concrete elements, so it needed a fire-protection system that could perform across all three materials to keep a future fire from re-damaging the rebuilt work.
An emergency timeline
Speed was the whole point. The project moved from the fire in January to a Department of Transportation meeting in June, applicator training with Skanska in October, and launch in November. That compressed schedule demanded an application approach that could keep up.
Why passive protection, and why off-site speed helps
Timber ignites and chars under radiant heat and flame. Intumescent products only react once the wood starts to heat, so they can activate too late. Wildfire Shield instead protects passively from the moment it cures, pairing high emissivity, high reflectivity and low thermal conductivity into a high-temperature thermal barrier with no flame spread and no smoke (ASTM E84 Class A, 0/0). In testing witnessed by Department of Transportation personnel, coated timber lagging was held under a direct propane-torch flame for 20 minutes while the thermocouples behind the coating stayed near ambient.
The case for off-site shop application
Coating timber lagging off-site, in a controlled shop, improves quality and consistency. It also lets crews coat all four sides before installation and deliver just in time. For an emergency response on a busy highway, that speed and control are decisive. This was NanoTech's first off-site coating project, run in partnership with off-site contractor Squires Lumber Co.
On-site and off-site shop-applied Wildfire Shield
NanoTech trained and supervised both the Skanska and Squires Lumber crews, then ran two application paths at once. Squires Lumber shop-applied Wildfire Shield to wood timber lagging off-site for all-around coverage and just-in-time delivery to the Pacific Coast Highway site, while Skanska coated the wood timber lagging, steel and concrete elements in place where they were already installed.
Advantages of off-site, shop-applied Wildfire Shield
A controlled environment improves coating quality and consistency
Faster production, safer work conditions and lower overall project risk
A good fit for emergency projects and just-in-time delivery
Wildfire Shield protection on all four sides of the timber lagging
Trained, supervised application
NanoTech-certified applicator training and supervision kept the Skanska and Squires Lumber crews on spec across both the in-place and shop work. It is the same model NanoTech uses to scale DOT-specified projects quickly.
Controlled, shop-applied coating for an emergency response.
Off-site application improves coating quality and consistency, speeds production, and protects all four sides of the timber lagging, which makes it a good fit for emergency, just-in-time delivery after a wildfire.
A flagship post-fire deployment on the PCH
By combining on-site and off-site application, NanoTech, Skanska and Squires Lumber Co. hardened the Pacific Coast Highway retaining wall on an emergency timeline after the Palisades Fire, protecting a critical coastal artery against future fire.
The PCH job sketches a repeatable model for post-wildfire rebuilding: train applicators, shop-apply where speed and all-around coverage matter, and coat in place where the lagging is already up.
What this means for your team
The same outcome reads differently depending on your role. Here is what this project means for the people who own, specify and apply fire-protection coatings.
For DOT structural & fire-protection engineers
Wildfire Shield gives specifiers a documented, independently tested alternative to defaulting to concrete for fire-exposed wooden infrastructure. It is verified to ASTM E84 (Class A, 0/0), plus E119, E162 and E662, and it came through a 20-minute direct flame-impingement test on timber lagging witnessed by Department of Transportation personnel. That is the kind of evidence it takes to qualify a non-traditional material with confidence.
For DOT district managers & budget authorities
Coating in place, or shop-applying off-site, preserves existing timber lagging instead of replacing it with costlier concrete or steel. Wildfire Shield is non-sacrificial and is built to protect the structure across repeated fire events when the system is maintained, so it stretches mitigation budgets across more lane-miles while keeping crews and traffic moving.
For bridge & highway contractors / applicators
Wildfire Shield is sprayed or rolled with common equipment and conforms to the geometry of timber lagging, abutments and fences, with no jacketing or fabrication required. On-site or off-site shop application removes seasonal and just-in-time bottlenecks, and NanoTech's certified-applicator training and supervision keep DOT-specified work on schedule.
Wildfire Shield technical specifications
Wildfire Shield is a water-based, non-sacrificial fire-mitigation coating built on NanoTech's patented Insulative Ceramic Particle (ICP) technology. Key published properties are summarized below; confirm project specifics against the current Technical Data Sheet and SDS.
Property | Wildfire Shield |
Product | NanoTech Materials Wildfire Shield (Fire Protective Coating System) |
Coating type | Non-sacrificial, passive fire-mitigation coating; a water-based, flexible elastomeric polymer formulated with NanoTech's patented Insulative Ceramic Particle (ICP) additive |
How it protects | High emissivity, high reflectivity and low thermal conductivity work together as a high-temperature thermal barrier, resisting flame spread and blocking radiant and conductive heat transfer with no activation energy required (unlike intumescents) |
Fire rating (ASTM E84) | Class A: Flame Spread 0, Smoke Developed 0 |
Tested and validated | Tested to ASTM E84, E119, E162 and E662, and validated by Department of Transportation personnel, including a 20-minute direct propane-torch flame test on coated timber lagging |
Max temperature resistance | Withstands direct flame exposure up to 3,272°F (1,800°C) |
Durability | Holds adhesion and performance through repeated wildfire events; the flexible formula resists cracking, water swelling and abrasion |
Composition and VOCs | Water-based and non-toxic, with low VOCs and no toxic runoff or leaching |
Film build | 20 to 75 wet mils per pass, built to a target 2 mm dry-film thickness (DFT) |
Application methods | Airless spray or roller; pre-applied off-site or applied in the field with common equipment |
Application temperature | 41°F to 120°F |
Surface prep | Power-wash or air-blast to remove debris; no primer required in most cases |
Moisture and cure | Apply when surface humidity is below 19%; allow at least 48 hours before exposure to rain or freezing |
Maintenance | Annual inspections recommended; touch up by overcoating, and clean with soapy water or a low-pressure wash |
Storage and shelf life | Store between 41°F and 100°F and avoid freezing; 12-month shelf life |
Substrate compatibility | Wood timber lagging, steel and concrete substrates, plus other Department of Transportation-approved materials |
Quality and warranty | Manufactured under an ISO 9001:2015 quality framework; 10-year material warranty (terms apply) |
Frequently asked questions
What is the advantage of off-site shop application?
A controlled shop improves coating quality and consistency, speeds production, lowers project risk, and lets crews coat all four sides of the timber lagging before installation. That makes it a good fit for emergency, just-in-time delivery.
Can on-site and off-site application be combined on one project?
Yes. The Pacific Coast Highway project used both — general contractor Skanska coated wood timber lagging, steel and concrete elements in place, while off-site contractor Squires Lumber Co. shop-applied wood timber lagging off-site — to meet an emergency post-fire timeline.
How is Wildfire Shield different from intumescent fireproofing?
Intumescent coatings have to be triggered by fire. They char and swell only after the substrate begins to heat, so the wood can ignite before the coating activates, and the char can give off smoke and toxicity. Wildfire Shield is non-sacrificial and works the moment it is applied. Its mix of high emissivity, high reflectivity and low thermal conductivity reflects and re-radiates heat and slows the heat that reaches the wood, with no flame spread and no smoke development (ASTM E84 Class A, 0/0).
Can the coating survive more than one fire?
Yes. Because it is non-sacrificial, Wildfire Shield is designed to protect the underlying structure through repeated wildfire events when the coating system is inspected and maintained. NanoTech recommends yearly inspections for wear, cracking or damage, and worn areas can be touched up by overcoating rather than fully replaced.
How hot can Wildfire Shield withstand?
It withstands direct flame exposure up to 3,272°F (1,800°C). In testing witnessed by Department of Transportation personnel, coated timber lagging was held under a direct propane-torch flame for 20 minutes while the thermocouples behind the coating stayed near ambient.
Is it safe and environmentally responsible?
Wildfire Shield is water-based and non-toxic, with low VOCs and no toxic runoff or leaching, and it is not classified as hazardous for supply or use. It cleans up with water and suits sensitive settings such as national parks and the wildland-urban interface.
Related resources
From NanoTech Materials
External references
Talk to NanoTech about wildfire protection
Protecting timber lagging, bridges, utility poles, fences or homes in a wildfire-prone area? Talk to NanoTech about Wildfire Shield, or join our certified-applicator network. Call (888) 296-6266, email [email protected], or visit our contact page.
About NanoTech Materials. NanoTech Materials is a Houston-based materials-science company developing advanced coatings for energy efficiency and fire protection. Its Fire Protective Coating System, including Wildfire Shield, is built on patented Insulative Ceramic Particle (ICP) technology to protect critical wooden infrastructure and high-value assets from wildfire, buying time and saving lives.
© 2026 NanoTech Materials. All rights reserved. Performance data summarized from NanoTech technical documentation (TDS, SDS, Application & Technical Manual) and the Wildfire Shield Project Portfolio; confirm project-specific details and current published values with a NanoTech representative.