Used to prevent further fuels from burning during wildfires
During fire season, some residents may notice a strange red chemical on their homes.
This is a fire retardant called Fos-Check, and it’s dropped from air tankers to prevent fuels from burning during a wildfire.
“What (firefighters) are doing is basically building a brick wall of fire retardant,” says Mark Campbell of Fire Safety Canada, who appeared on the Early Edition Tuesday morning.
Campbell says it’s very easy for homeowners to remove Fos-Check from their properties and belongings.
“The sooner that you can get to cleaning it off, the better,” says Campbell. “Depending on the surface, a pressure washer works well. On smaller, more fragile surfaces, soapy water with a brush works.”
It doesn’t come without its problems, however; the rust in Fos-Check can seep into some porous surfaces, making early removal extra important.
Other than that, Fos-Check is completely harmless if accidentally ingested, and does not damage plants or gardens.
