I considered putting this in the "newspaper" thread, but with the number of people we have who live in areas subject to forest/prairie fires, and the likelihood that it may take some time and investigation to get the straight poop on this, it seemed to deserve the prominence of a separate thread.

Fire-retardant, slimy gel can save homes

[quoting]

Super-absorbent polymer provides 'water bubble' before fires reach houses

The Associated Press
Updated: 8:50 p.m. CT Oct 9, 2007

HOT SPRINGS, S.D. - It was the most intense fire ever recorded in the Black Hills National Forest, but nearly all homes coated with a slimy gel were saved while dozens of houses nearby burned to the ground.

The gel was a super-absorbent polymer that can hold many times its weight in water and clings well to vertical surfaces and glass. It is mixed with water and then can be sprayed on homes with a truck-mounted hose or a backpack apparatus, or dropped from a plane.

The substance is relatively new to firefighting, having been developed about a decade ago, and is not widely used. But some firefighters who have tried it are impressed, saying it offers longer-lasting protection than the foam retardants that have been around for many years.

[end quote]

I've quoted about a fourth of the article, so those interested will want to click it up and read the whole thing.

This stuff is not really as new as the article makes it seem, and has received positive response from a number of firefighting agencies.

As the article does indicate, in areas where an "official" agency has not yet picked up on it, one may need to be prepared to self-apply. Some cleanup is required after a successful use, and it might be worthwhile to try to get agreement in advance from insurers (among others) that it's worth pushing for, and maybe the application and cleanup could be covered by insurance(?). In some areas, forming a local/neighborhood co-op to get the applicator(s) and stock the gel might certainly be worth considering.

The much lower cost of application equipment, compared to older foams etc., might be persuasive when one talks it up to insurance agencies and to local fire control agencies.

Local conditions may make it less suitable/effective than in the areas that are praising it now, but that's for local people to investigate and decide.

John