Abstract: A forest fire retardant composition includes a retardant compound that includes at least one anhydrous salt and at least one hydrate salt. The anhydrous salt is magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, or both. The hydrate salt is magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, or both. The magnesium chloride hydrate has a formula MgCl2(H2O)x, wherein x is at least one of 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 12. The calcium chloride hydrate has a formula CaCl2(H2O)x, wherein x is at least one of 1, 2, 4, or 6. The composition may be in the form of a dry concentrate, a liquid concentrate, or a final diluted product. The final diluted product is effective in suppressing, retarding, and controlling forest fires while exhibiting corrosion resistance and low toxicity.

Abstract: A forest fire retardant composition contains water and a retardant compound that includes a halide salt, a non-halide salt, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, or combinations thereof. The halide salt may be magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, or both. The magnesium chloride hydrate has a formula MgCl2(H2O)x, wherein x is at least one of x=1, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 12. The calcium chloride hydrate has a formula CaCl2(H2O)x, wherein x is at least one of 1, 2, 4, or 6. The composition may be in the form of a liquid concentrate or a final diluted product. The final diluted product is effective in suppressing, retarding, and controlling forest fires while exhibiting corrosion resistance and low toxicity.

Abstract: A forest fire retardant composition is substantially free of ammonium and includes an organophosphate derived from (i) a phosphorylation agent and (ii) an organic molecule comprising at least two hydroxyl groups. The organophosphate may contain at least one phosphate ester bonded to an organic molecule, wherein the organic molecule comprises at least one monomer unit of about 2 to 40 carbon atoms. Preferably, at least 90% of the functional groups of the organophosphate is a phosphate ester group. The composition may also include a salt, including magnesium salt and/or calcium salt. The anion in the salt may be hydroxide, carbonate or phosphate. The salt may be an anhydrous salt, a salt hydrate, or a combination of both. The composition is effective in suppressing, retarding, and controlling forest fires while exhibiting corrosion resistance and low toxicity.

Abstract: A forest fire retardant composition contains water and a retardant compound that includes a halide salt, a non-halide salt, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, or combinations thereof. The halide salt may be magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, or both. The magnesium chloride hydrate has a formula MgCl2(H2O)x, wherein x is at least one of x=1, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 12. The calcium chloride hydrate has a formula CaCl2(H2O)x, wherein x is at least one of 1, 2, 4, or 6. The composition may be in the form of a liquid concentrate or a final diluted product. The final diluted product is effective in suppressing, retarding, and controlling forest fires while exhibiting corrosion resistance and low toxicity.

Abstract: A forest fire retardant composition includes a retardant compound that includes at least one anhydrous salt and at least one hydrate salt. The anhydrous salt is magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, or both. The hydrate salt is magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, or both. The magnesium chloride hydrate has a formula MgCl2(H2O)x, wherein x is at least one of 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 12. The calcium chloride hydrate has a formula CaCl2)(H2O)x, wherein x is at least one of 1, 2, 4, or 6. The composition may be in the form of a dry concentrate, a liquid concentrate, or a final diluted product. The final diluted product is effective in suppressing, retarding, and controlling forest fires while exhibiting corrosion resistance and low toxicity.

Abstract: A system for mixing fire-suppressant gel with water on board an aircraft includes a gel reservoir mounted in the aircraft, a pump for injecting gel into a flow of water into an aircraft-mounted payload tank, and a control system for controlling gel-water mix ratios. The control system monitors water volume flowing into the water tank, and regulates the gel pump to inject gel in appropriate amounts to produce gel-water emulsions having precise gel-water ratios. Settings for the control system are set by the pilot before water flow water is initiated. Once the aircraft is in flight, the gel-water mixing process is automatically controlled through a trigger on the pilot's control stick. The aircraft may be a helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft adapted to load water from a lake or other source while in flight, or a fixed-wing aircraft adapted to load water on land from a pressurized water source.