Phos-Chek

Phos-Chek is the brand name of a flame retardant used to fight wildfires.

Phos-Chek is manufactured in either a powder or concentrated liquid form. It is mixed with water which is then applied to vegetation in advance of a fireline via an aerial firefighting unit, either fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft. It is available in three different colors, a natural color which is off-white, a red color, and a special mixture called "Fugitive" that is red when dropped but gradually fades to an earth-tone when exposed to sunlight. The red color aids aircrews in targeting drops of Phos-Chek.

The main components of Phos-Chek are ammonium polyphosphate, diammonium phosphate, diammonium sulfate, monoammonium phosphate, attapulgus clay, guar gum (or a derivative of guar gum), and trade secret performance additives. Phos-Chek comes in several different formulations with varying degrees of the above components.

The phosphates and sulfates in the formulation prevent combustion of the material it is dropped on. They also act as a fertilizer once the fire danger has passed. The guar gum is a thickening agent to prevent dispersal of the Phos-Chek after it is dropped from the plane. The trade secret additives assist Phos-Chek in coating and wrapping around the target vegetation to ensure more complete fire protection.

Phos-Chek is manufactured by the ICL Performance Products LP in Ontario, California.

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