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.
About Pink Fire Retardant:
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.
Typically, 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.
What are the concerns?
Environmental experts have said that spraying fire retardant using planes is ineffective, expensive, and a growing source of pollution for rivers and streams.
Phos-Chek “is laden with toxic metals, and estimated retardant use has released 850,000 pounds of these chemicals into the environment since 2009.
These toxic metals include chromium and cadmium which can cause cancer, and kidney and liver diseases in humans and these toxic metals can kill aquatic life.
Read more: Pesticide Poisoning and Regulations
