Strong winds can make it too dangerous to fly at the low altitudes needed for drops and can dissipate the retardant before it hits the ground. Besides Cal Fire, multiple agencies have dropped fire ...

Authorities battling a series of large wildfires in the Los Angeles area have employed a bright red fire retardant to tamp the flames, leading to dramatic images of the material blanketing scores of ...

But what is in them and are they safe? FILE - A vehicle is covered in fire retardant while crews battle the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon on Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. The fires are ...

Besides Cal Fire, multiple agencies have dropped fire retardant and water, including the U.S. Forest Service, the Los Angeles and Ventura county fire departments, the city and the National Guard.