Fire retardants, on the other hand, contain fertilizer and other ingredients that don't evaporate once the water they're mixed with is gone, delaying a fire's spread for days, weeks or longer.

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 ...

Fire retardants are used to slow or stop wildfires. Similarly, flame retardants are used in appliances like TVs and building ...

A plane drops pink flame retardant during the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles, California on Monday (Jan. 13). | Credit: Benjamin Fanjoy/Bloomberg via Getty Images Pink fire retardant is raining from ...