Klamath Community College’s Fire Stoppers: Fighting Wildfire From the Ground Up

🏅 3rd Place – Invent Oregon 2025

Wildfires have become one of Oregon’s most pressing challenges, destroying homes and reshaping communities. But two innovators from Klamath Community College, Melanie McClure and Niles Walter, decided to take the fight directly to the flames with their project, Fire Stoppers.

Their invention, Ember Block, is a simple, tool-free device designed to protect homes from the tiny embers that often cause the most damage during wildfires. The best part? It’s half the cost of current solutions — proving that innovation doesn’t have to be expensive to be effective.

What started as an idea in a classroom has grown into a potential game-changer for wildfire safety. The team’s dedication and resourcefulness earned them third place at Invent Oregon 2025, a recognition that celebrates their commitment to building safer, more resilient communities.

🎥 Our feature film follows Melanie and Niles as they test Ember Block in the field and share their hope of bringing wildfire defense tools to every Oregon home.

👉 Watch their full journey on YouTube — and see how two students turned local concern into statewide impact: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exjY6_pI54E&list=PLzI8p8YSTABxeqIoBasbY7fBn_32AOwZs&index=5