Aircraft battling fires in the Los Angeles area are utilizing a hot-pink fire suppressant to combat the raging flames. This fire suppressant is a mixture of water, ammonium phosphate (similar to fertilizer), and iron oxide, which is added for visibility purposes. According to Daniel McCurry, a civil and environmental engineering professor at the University of Southern California, these suppressants work by depriving the fire of oxygen and slowing down its burn rate by cooling and coating vegetation and other surfaces.
The Forest Service, employing 13 aircraft to drop suppressants on the Los Angeles fires, emphasizes that these suppressants are generally safe for humans. However, concerns have been raised regarding their potential impact on wildlife. To address this, the Forest Service prohibits the use of aerial suppressants over waterways and habitats of endangered species, except in cases where human life or public safety is at risk, due to the potential health risks posed to fish and other wildlife.
The use of fire retardants is crucial in extinguishing wildfires that pose health hazards to millions of individuals. Wildfires expose people to a hazardous combination of microscopic particles that can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular issues by infiltrating deep into the lungs and bloodstream.
