Perimeter Solutions set up a mobile retardant base where helicopters can access Phos-Check fire retardant to help the firefighting efforts on the Wapiti Fire.
Jose Yorba has been doing this for 25-years and we watched his crew of four men including Jose set up this mobile retardant bank out on the fire line west of Stanley.
"The fact we are able to be support to the firefighters, the pilots and the community at large is great, it’s satisfying."
The mobile retardant base features a 5,000 gallon water tank, a 5,000 gallon dip tank and the backend of the retardant take also has 5,000 gallons.
"So as soon as the helicopters are dipping in we are able to back fill while they are drafting to keep up with demand. We can mix about 350 gallons a minute."
Yorba drove heavy equipment to place each bin near the retardant tank. Each sack can mix up to 21,000 gallons of retardant using a process called the Venturi Effect, a phenomenon that happens when a fluids pressure gets reduced as it flows through a constriction.
"It basically pushes water through and makes a suction. The suction is able to draft out of these bins so we add air to them to make them flowy so it is powder that’s the way we transfer he product into the tank and once it mixes it becomes a solution."
The mobile retardant base will work with type two helicopters that use a bucket to carry retardant where it is needed. These helicopters usually carry between 500 and 800 gallons with some of them being able to dip as much as 1,000 gallons.
Fire retardant is made up mostly of water with around 15 percent being fertilizer and it's dyed so pilots can see where it needs to be dropped without leaving any gaps in the line.
It's not ideal to drop retardant near water, but it can be a game changer for crews on the ground as it can slow down the fire helping firefighters protect the homes around Stanley.
Jose Yorba grew up in Coeur d'Alene and he's happy to help protect one of Idaho's most iconic areas from the Wapiti Fire.
“It's good to be home as soon as I got the deployment, I was like yeah I’m in. It's sad to see the burn, but to be able to provide the extra help is gratifying."
