- Messages
- 8,898
- Reactions
- Nation of residence
-
- Nation of origin
-
Specialist aircraft used to slow spread of wildfirespublished at 13:09
13:09
A Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 MR aircraft drops fire retardant over a forest near Bordeaux on Monday
Specialist aircraft are being used to battle wildfires in France, dropping fire retardant on vegetation and land where the wildfires are burning.
The retardant works by depleting the fire of oxygen and slowing the rate of fuel combustion.
It is usually sprayed around a wildfire on vegetation and land that is fire-prone to stop the flames from spreading to that area.
The repeated use of the bright substance also acts as a visual aid for pilots and firefighters, as after a few days it can fade due to sun exposure.
France and Spain wildfires: Bordeaux threatened as lightning storm created
"It felt like we were in a warzone," an evacuated resident tells the BBC, as crews continue to tackle blazes - including planes dropping retardant.
www.bbc.com
