Pink powder helps fight wildfires in California

As crews of firefighters battled wildfires ravaging Southern California, images of planes equipped with fire extinguishers spraying bright red and pink powder on Los Angeles suburbs were widely shared online. society. Now, this eye-catching compound is a common sight in the area, covering driveways, roofs and vehicles. Authorities said thousands of liters of fire extinguishing powder were spread last week to prevent the fire from spreading, according to BBC.

Perimeter’s product called Phos-Chek has been used to fight fires in the US since 1963. This is the key long-term fire extinguishing powder of the California Department of Forestry and fire prevention. This compound is also the most used fire extinguishing powder in the world, according to a 2022 report. Perimeter recommends removing the powder as soon as possible because the longer it is left on, the harder it is to completely remove it. . Warm water and mild detergent are very effective in cleaning powder from small areas. For larger surfaces, people can use high-pressure spray nozzles.

The exact formula of Phos-Chek is not disclosed, but the company says the product contains 80% water, 14% inorganic salts, 6% colorants and erosion inhibitors. The bright color of fire extinguishing powder is a visible sign intended to assist pilots and firefighters. After a few days of exposure to sunlight, the color of the powder will turn earthy. Fire extinguishing powder is often sprayed on trees and land surrounding the fire, helping to prevent the fire from spreading to that area. According to the US Forest Service, fire extinguishing powder slows the rate of spread by cooling and covering the fuel, causing the fire to lose its oxygen source, reducing the fuel burning rate because inorganic salts in the powder change the way the fuel burns. .

The use of fire extinguishing powder has been controversial in the past. A 2022 lawsuit filed by Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics alleges fire extinguishing powder kills fish and is ineffective. The incident attracted the attention of communities devastated by wildfires in the past, including the town of Paradise, California. The Forest Service said this year, it stopped using a fire extinguishing powder, Phos-Chek LC95, and switched to MVP-Fx, which is less toxic to wildlife. The Forest Service also prohibits spreading fire extinguishing powder in sensitive environments such as waterways and endangered animal habitats.