Pink Fire Retardant To Tackle From Wildfire:
As multiple wildfires continue to torch Southern California, authorities are using planes to drop a large amount of bright pink fire retardant to curb the blaze.
- Fire retardant is a mix of chemicals used to extinguish or slow down the spread of fires.
- There are different types of fire retardant but to tackle wildfires in the US, authorities most commonly use Phos-Chek, a brand of fire retardant, which mostly contains an ammonium phosphate-based slurry.
- It is made of salts such as ammonium polyphosphate, which does not evaporate easily like water and stays for longer.
- Colour is usually added to the fire retardant to ensure that firefighters can see it against the landscape.
- This helps them create fire lines around the fire retardant, potentially saving lives and property.
