US testing new fire retardant, critics push other methods

A plane drops retardant on a wildfire near homes Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, in Laguna Beach, Calif. U.S. officials are testing a new wildfire retardant after two decades of buying millions of gallons annually from one supplier, but watchdogs say the expensive strategy is overly fixated on aerial attacks at the expense of hiring more fire-line digging ground crews. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, File)