An air tanker makes a fire retardant drop behind homes in California. Studies have shown the retardant can harm plants, fish and other species, including steelhead trout and Chinook salmon. Stahl, of Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, said the product’s fertilizer qualities also made it a particularly bad choice for such applications. The Forest Service must provide the court with status reports on its progress toward that permit every six months, but can continue to use the retardant in the meantime. And last year, the retardant was applied along the roadside in Wildcat Canyon in San Diego County, where a wildfire did ignite.

Source: Los Angeles Times July 06, 2023 03:52 UTC