What is the pink powder being used to tackle the raging Los Angeles wildfires?

More than 62 square miles of Los Angeles have burned after rapid wildfires broke out last week.

Firefighters are racing to fight the flames and prevent further destruction, like that seen from Pasadena to the Palisades Fire along the Pacific Coast.

Planes have been dropping thousands of gallons of water in a bid to stop the embers from spreading, as well as large amounts of a mysterious pink substance.

The pink stuff is called Phos-Chek, and is the most-used fire retardant in the world, having been used in California since 1963.

Videos of low-flying planes dropping large amounts of Phos-Chek have gone viral.

Pink-coated homes, mailboxes and cars have been photographed near areas forced to evacuate during the fires.

But why is it pink? The company behind Phos-Chek, Perimeter, said the bright neon colour is used as a visual aid for pilots and firefighters.

The mixture is made of colouring agents, salts, water, and fire retardant. When spread over large areas, it can stop the rapid spread of wildfires.

Phos-Chek is considered to be a ‘long-term’ retardant, meaning it can last and prevent fire even after the water in the formula has dried up.

But it can be a pain to clean off of homes and cars.

Perimeter wrote online: ‘The longer the retardant dries, the more difficult it is to remove completely.’

To clean homes covered in the pink stuff, it’s recommended to get a power washer.

But for smaller surfaces, like cars and mailboxes, warm water and dish soap can go a long way.

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