Plan B Forum

News videos of western USA fires show planes dropping some sort of red 'fire retardant'

Any body know what this chemical really is? What is its tactical function? Does it do any good dropped on dry brush just outside the fire line?

snailgate

I think this has been used for some time, and I recall reading it is s gel slurry of water and fertilizer with a dye added to show its dispersal. It clings to leaves and trunks and aid to protect the vegetation near fires by providing water. As I recall, it is safe for both humans and the environment (but then that was around 6 or so years ago, so its composition might have changed).

At one time it was some kind of borate salts with a dye to show its application, but these were found to sterilize the soil as well as being harmful to wildlife and have been discontinued in lieu of a water/chemical fertilizer mix which will retard (not extinguish) the flames and encourage plant regrowth once the fire has passed.

-"BB"-

This probably says more about my warped psychology than anything but upon glancing at the thread title my mind combined the r and I to form another letter leaving me confused and thinking about the after effects of eating hot peppers.

This probably says more about my warped psychology than anything

Yes, I'd say that's a fair assessment...

But at the same time I also doubt that many of you had a hard time figuring out what I hinted.

So, it's not really your spell-checker that's the problem...

Autocorrect is the bane of my existence. That only effects what I say. What I read or more to the point misread is something else entirely

If I recall correctly it was EPA Chief, Scott Pruitt, who was told by Dow Chemical CEO, Andrew Liveris, that the red color is a refined radium dye additive, and only harmful if you're exposed to it in bare feet.

But I may be wrong.

Aerial fire retardant.

"Arial Fire Retardant": Only you can prevent sans-serif fires.





At least it wasn't "Ariel Fire Retardant"; that poor little mermaid has been through enough already...

I was trying to force a connection to The Little Mermaid, but there's no way I could top E-line's post.
Well played, sir, well played.

-"BB"-