2025
NBC News | "What is the pink powder sprayed over the California wildfires?"
The key ingredient in the fire retardant is ammonium phosphate, which is commonly found in fertilizer.
"Dr. Yifang Zhu, a professor of environmental health sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health, said the benefits of using fire retardants outweigh the risks.
'There’s very little evidence showing there are serious long-term health effects associated with it' for people, Zhu said.
She added that the immediate health risks posed by wildfire smoke, which contains high levels of particulate matter, are more severe than potential concerns linked to the fire retardant."