The number and size of wildfires have grown over the past decade, with infrastructure and wildlife being increasingly threatened. In California alone, nine of the state’s ten most destructive fires on record were ignited in just the last few months. What’s more, human activities cause 85% of all fires in the U.S., and these catastrophes often involve fatalities.
Firefighters manage wildfires with either fire suppressants or fire retardants. Engineers at Stanford Univ. have developed a novel gel-like fluid that can help prevent wildfires from igniting, for longer periods of time than conventional methods.
Suppressants are applied directly to active fires to bring down the flames. Suppressants usually contain water-carrying gels based on superabsorbent polymers such as those found in diapers. They are highly effective, but they are toxic and can persist in the environment for long periods of time.
These suppressants can also be used as short-term retardants, to prevent fires from occurring in the first place. They are usually applied to buildings in the path of approaching flames, but the effects of the material diminish once the water in the gel evaporates, usually in under an hour amidst the inferno. Long-term retardants can maintain their utility even after drying.
Firefighters typically use the retardant ammonium phosphate (APP) mixed with...
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