As southern California fights raging wildfires, striking photographs of air tankers releasing pink and red powder over neighborhoods draw attention worldwide. This colorful fire retardant substance has also become a major weapon in battle with wildfires. But just what is made of and how does it function?
Science Behind The Pink Powder
Perimeter Company markets the fire retardant as Phos-Chek, which has been a standard in the United States since 1963 in wildfire mitigation. It is the most widely used by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the world’s most-utilized fire retardant.
Phos-Chek’s composition is a closely guarded secret; however, on average, its composition includes 80% water, 14% fertilizer-like salts, and 6% coloring agents and corrosion inhibitors. The pink color isn’t applied for aesthetics but is part of a design that visually allows pilots and ground crews to target the drop line. In due course, exposure to sunlight darkens it down to an earthy colour.
How Does Fire Retardant Work?
The major role of Phos-Chek is to slow down wildfires. The material is sprayed in a perimetrical fashion around vegetation and fire-prone areas, thereby denying the fire fuel to feed on. According to the U.S. Forest Service, the retardant works by cooling and coating fuels, depleting oxygen, and changing the nature of how materials burn through the action of its inorganic salts.
Thousands of gallons of this substance have been dropped in Los Angeles suburbs to contain fires within the last week alone. Even though effective, its wide application has ignited public debate about environmental concerns.
The use of Phos-Chek has not been without controversy. In 2022, Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics-a group of present and former employees of the United States Forest Service-filed a complaint claiming that aerially deployed fire retardant violates clean water laws. According to this group, the chemical contaminates waterways, harms fish, and is ineffectual at times.
The U.S. District judge ruled that the Forest Service can continue using fire retardants pending an application for a permit from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This was good news for communities like Paradise, California, that are prone to wildfires and experienced total losses in the 2018 Camp Fire.
Mitigation Of Environmental Impact
To reduce adverse environmental impacts, the Forest Service traded the Phos-Chek LC95 mix for MVP-Fx in 2023 because it contained a lower proportion of “toxic to wildlife” chemicals. Retardants also cannot be deployed inside environmentally sensitive zones such as waterways and wildlife preserve habitats unless the use is deemed essential for the safety of human life and/or public.
Despite the controversies, fire retardants such as Phos-Chek remain indispensable in the management of wildfires. These chemicals create a barrier that slows the flames, giving firefighters valuable time to protect lives, homes, and ecosystems.
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