Oct-01-19
An eco-friendly gel offers an innovative way to reduce forest fires by coating vegetation in a non-toxic, fire retardant.
Developed by a team from Stanford University, the gel is made up of cellulose-based materials that can be combined with common fire-retardant chemicals and sprayed on vulnerable areas of vegetation to preemptively prevent the spread of fire. Unlike other similar coatings, the Stanford gel will not wash off in the rain, and will dry to leave an equally fire-resistant film on the plants that lasts throughout fire season. When the gel reaches the end of its natural life, it will biodegrade harmlessly.
Image credit: Eric Appel - Untreated (left) and treated (right) plots shortly after fire ignition.
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