VOA慢速英語：化學品是撲滅森林火災的最佳方法嗎
VOA慢速英語：化學品是撲滅森林火災的最佳方法嗎
U.S. officials are testing a new chemical mixture that is able to slow down the progress of wildfires.
美國官員正在測試一種能夠降低野火蔓延速度的新化學混合物。
But critics say the Forest Service should be spending less on these mixtures known as fire retardants and more on firefighters.
但批評人士表示，美國林業(yè)局應該減少在這些被稱為阻燃劑的混合物上的支出，而要增加在消防員身上的支出。
Much of the American West is facing a drought--a long amount of time with very little rain.
美國西部的大部分地區(qū)正面臨干旱——很長一段時間內(nèi)幾乎沒有降雨。
The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, reports that so far this year there have been more than 31,000 wildfires.
愛達荷州博伊西的美國全國機構間消防中心報告稱，今年到目前為止，已經(jīng)發(fā)生了3.1萬多起野火。
Those fires have burned about 13,000 square kilometers.
這些大火燒毀了大約1.3萬平方公里的土地。
That number is well above the 10-year average for the same period of about 24,000 wildfires and 5,000 square kilometers burned.
這一數(shù)字遠高于同期約2.4萬起野火和燒毀5000平方公里土地的10年平均水平。
Wildfire seasons have become longer as the West has become warmer and drier in the past 30 years.
在過去的30年里，隨著西部變得更加溫暖和干燥，野火季節(jié)變得更長。
In 2020, The Forest Service used more than 190 million liters of retardant for the first time.
2020年，美國林業(yè)局首次使用了超過1.9億升的阻燃劑。
It used over 190 million liters again last year to fight some of the largest and longest wildfires ever recorded in California and other states.
去年，它再次使用了超過1.9億升的阻燃劑來撲滅加利福尼亞州等州有史以來規(guī)模最大、持續(xù)時間最長的野火。
The fire retardant cost those two years reached nearly $200 million.
這兩年所使用的阻燃劑的成本達到了近2億美元。
In comparison, over the previous 10 years, the agency used 115 million liters each year.
相比之下，在過去10年里，該機構每年使用1.15億升阻燃劑。
The U.S. Forest Service said tests started last summer are continuing this summer with a magnesium-chloride-based retardant from the company Fortress.
美國林業(yè)局表示，去年夏天開始的測試將會在今年夏天繼續(xù)進行，使用的是Fortress公司生產(chǎn)的一種基于氯化鎂的阻燃劑。
Fortress says its retardants are effective and better for the environment than other products.
Fortress公司表示，其生產(chǎn)的阻燃劑比其他產(chǎn)品更有效，更環(huán)保。
Another company, Perimeter Solutions, says its ammonium-phosphate-based retardants are better.
另一家公司Perimeter Solutions表示，其基于磷酸銨的阻燃劑效果更好。
The main ingredient in Fortress products, magnesium chloride, is taken from the Great Salt Lake in Utah.
Fortress公司產(chǎn)品的主要成分氯化鎂取自猶他州的大鹽湖。
This method and process is more environmentally friendly than mining and processing phosphate, the company says.
該公司表示，這種方法和工藝比開采和加工磷酸鹽更環(huán)保。
The Forest Service last summer tested the company's FR-100, and this summer said it will test a version called FR-200.
美國林業(yè)局去年夏天測試了該公司的FR-100，今年夏天其表示將測試一種名為FR-200的產(chǎn)品。
Perimeter Solutions, which has buildings and equipment throughout the American West, has had a number of name and ownership changes over the years.
Perimeter Solutions公司在整個美國西部都有建筑和設備，多年來該公司經(jīng)歷了多次更名和所有權變更。
Still, it has been the market leader for more than 20 years.
盡管如此，20多年來它一直是市場的領頭羊。
The company's Phos-Chek LC-95A is the world’s most used fire retardant.
該公司的Phos-Chek LC-95A是世界上使用量最多的阻燃劑。
The company is moving to a new retardant called Phos-Chek LCE20-Fx.
該公司正在轉向一種名為Phos-Chek LCE20-Fx的新型阻燃劑。
The company said it is made out of food-grade substances, making it a cleaner product.
該公司表示，它是由食品級物質(zhì)制成的，這使其成為一種更清潔的產(chǎn)品。
But two nonprofit groups say both kinds of retardant harm the environment.
但兩家非營利組織表示，這兩種阻燃劑都會對環(huán)境造成危害。
The groups suggest that the U.S. Forest Service should be spending less on fire retardant and more on firefighters.
這些組織建議美國林業(yè)局應該減少在阻燃劑上的支出，增加在消防員身上的支出。
Andy Stahl leads Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, and Timothy Ingalsbee leads Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology.
安迪·斯塔爾領導美國林業(yè)局員工環(huán)境倫理學會，蒂莫西·英加爾斯比領導美國消防員安全、道德和生態(tài)聯(lián)盟。
Both said that the ammonium-phosphates-based retardant is a fertilizer that can help invasive plants.
兩人都表示，基于磷酸銨的阻燃劑是一種有利于入侵植物生長的肥料。
They believe it might be responsible for some algae blooms in lakes.
他們認為這可能是導致湖泊中一些藻類大量繁殖的原因。
Stahl and Ingalsbee said the magnesium-chloride-based retardant is a salt that will limit plant growth where it falls, possibly harming threatened species.
斯塔爾和英加爾斯比表示，基于氯化鎂的阻燃劑是一種鹽，它會限制植物在其落下的地方生長，這可能會損害瀕危物種。
Both are concerned that either one of the chemicals will be dropped directly on waterways.
兩人都擔心其中任何一種化學品會直接落入河道。
They are worried about the possible harm the retardants could cause to aquatic species.
他們擔心這兩種阻燃劑可能會對水生物種造成傷害。
I'm John Russell.
約翰·拉塞爾為您播報。
U.S. officials are testing a new chemical mixture that is able to slow down the progress of wildfires.
美國官員正在測試一種能夠降低野火蔓延速度的新化學混合物。
But critics say the Forest Service should be spending less on these mixtures known as fire retardants and more on firefighters.
但批評人士表示，美國林業(yè)局應該減少在這些被稱為阻燃劑的混合物上的支出，而要增加在消防員身上的支出。
Much of the American West is facing a drought--a long amount of time with very little rain.
美國西部的大部分地區(qū)正面臨干旱——很長一段時間內(nèi)幾乎沒有降雨。
The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, reports that so far this year there have been more than 31,000 wildfires.
愛達荷州博伊西的美國全國機構間消防中心報告稱，今年到目前為止，已經(jīng)發(fā)生了3.1萬多起野火。
Those fires have burned about 13,000 square kilometers.
這些大火燒毀了大約1.3萬平方公里的土地。
That number is well above the 10-year average for the same period of about 24,000 wildfires and 5,000 square kilometers burned.
這一數(shù)字遠高于同期約2.4萬起野火和燒毀5000平方公里土地的10年平均水平。
Wildfire seasons have become longer as the West has become warmer and drier in the past 30 years.
在過去的30年里，隨著西部變得更加溫暖和干燥，野火季節(jié)變得更長。
In 2020, The Forest Service used more than 190 million liters of retardant for the first time.
2020年，美國林業(yè)局首次使用了超過1.9億升的阻燃劑。
It used over 190 million liters again last year to fight some of the largest and longest wildfires ever recorded in California and other states.
去年，它再次使用了超過1.9億升的阻燃劑來撲滅加利福尼亞州等州有史以來規(guī)模最大、持續(xù)時間最長的野火。
The fire retardant cost those two years reached nearly $200 million.
這兩年所使用的阻燃劑的成本達到了近2億美元。
In comparison, over the previous 10 years, the agency used 115 million liters each year.
相比之下，在過去10年里，該機構每年使用1.15億升阻燃劑。
The U.S. Forest Service said tests started last summer are continuing this summer with a magnesium-chloride-based retardant from the company Fortress.
美國林業(yè)局表示，去年夏天開始的測試將會在今年夏天繼續(xù)進行，使用的是Fortress公司生產(chǎn)的一種基于氯化鎂的阻燃劑。
Fortress says its retardants are effective and better for the environment than other products.
Fortress公司表示，其生產(chǎn)的阻燃劑比其他產(chǎn)品更有效，更環(huán)保。
Another company, Perimeter Solutions, says its ammonium-phosphate-based retardants are better.
另一家公司Perimeter Solutions表示，其基于磷酸銨的阻燃劑效果更好。
The main ingredient in Fortress products, magnesium chloride, is taken from the Great Salt Lake in Utah.
Fortress公司產(chǎn)品的主要成分氯化鎂取自猶他州的大鹽湖。
This method and process is more environmentally friendly than mining and processing phosphate, the company says.
該公司表示，這種方法和工藝比開采和加工磷酸鹽更環(huán)保。
The Forest Service last summer tested the company's FR-100, and this summer said it will test a version called FR-200.
美國林業(yè)局去年夏天測試了該公司的FR-100，今年夏天其表示將測試一種名為FR-200的產(chǎn)品。
Perimeter Solutions, which has buildings and equipment throughout the American West, has had a number of name and ownership changes over the years.
Perimeter Solutions公司在整個美國西部都有建筑和設備，多年來該公司經(jīng)歷了多次更名和所有權變更。
Still, it has been the market leader for more than 20 years.
盡管如此，20多年來它一直是市場的領頭羊。
The company's Phos-Chek LC-95A is the world’s most used fire retardant.
該公司的Phos-Chek LC-95A是世界上使用量最多的阻燃劑。
The company is moving to a new retardant called Phos-Chek LCE20-Fx.
該公司正在轉向一種名為Phos-Chek LCE20-Fx的新型阻燃劑。
The company said it is made out of food-grade substances, making it a cleaner product.
該公司表示，它是由食品級物質(zhì)制成的，這使其成為一種更清潔的產(chǎn)品。
But two nonprofit groups say both kinds of retardant harm the environment.
但兩家非營利組織表示，這兩種阻燃劑都會對環(huán)境造成危害。
The groups suggest that the U.S. Forest Service should be spending less on fire retardant and more on firefighters.
這些組織建議美國林業(yè)局應該減少在阻燃劑上的支出，增加在消防員身上的支出。
Andy Stahl leads Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, and Timothy Ingalsbee leads Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology.
安迪·斯塔爾領導美國林業(yè)局員工環(huán)境倫理學會，蒂莫西·英加爾斯比領導美國消防員安全、道德和生態(tài)聯(lián)盟。
Both said that the ammonium-phosphates-based retardant is a fertilizer that can help invasive plants.
兩人都表示，基于磷酸銨的阻燃劑是一種有利于入侵植物生長的肥料。
They believe it might be responsible for some algae blooms in lakes.
他們認為這可能是導致湖泊中一些藻類大量繁殖的原因。
Stahl and Ingalsbee said the magnesium-chloride-based retardant is a salt that will limit plant growth where it falls, possibly harming threatened species.
斯塔爾和英加爾斯比表示，基于氯化鎂的阻燃劑是一種鹽，它會限制植物在其落下的地方生長，這可能會損害瀕危物種。
Both are concerned that either one of the chemicals will be dropped directly on waterways.
兩人都擔心其中任何一種化學品會直接落入河道。
They are worried about the possible harm the retardants could cause to aquatic species.
他們擔心這兩種阻燃劑可能會對水生物種造成傷害。
I'm John Russell.
約翰·拉塞爾為您播報。
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