Crews battling the deadly ongoing Los Angeles wildfires have started dropping bright pink fire retardant known as Phos-Chek from the skies to combat the stubborn flames.
The eye-catching flame retardant — seen in photographs coating homes, cars and yards — has been used to stamp out persistent fires for over 50 years, according to its manufacturer, Perimeter Solutions.
The common fire suppression tool was the first phosphate-based fire retardant to be approved by the US Forest Service and is colored red so firefighters can spot it.
Phos-Chek consists of mainly salt, typically agricultural fertilizers, that “alter the way the fire burns, decreases the fire intensity, and slows the advance of the fire, even after the water they originally contained has evaporated,” according to the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service.
Leftover Phos-Chek fades from sunlight or “until weather removes it,” according to the USDA.
Phos-Chek has been approved by the USDA for meeting environmental safety standards and is the “safest, most effective and environmentally friendly products available,” according to its manufacturer.
