Napalm is an incendiary weapon designed for destructive adherence and sustained burning. This substance is a thickened fuel, engineered to be notoriously difficult to extinguish once ignited. The challenge of putting out a napalm fire stems directly from its unique chemical composition and physical properties, which defeat common fire suppression methods. Understanding how this substance operates is the first step in learning how it can be successfully neutralized.
The Chemistry Behind Napalm’s Persistence
The composition of napalm is a mixture of a volatile fuel, typically gasoline or jet fuel, combined with a gelling agent. Historically, the original napalm used aluminum salts of naphthenic and palmitic acids as the thickener, which gives the substance its name. Modern variations, sometimes referred to as Napalm-B, often use a polymer like polystyrene and benzene to create the gel. This gelling agent creates a highly viscous, sticky substance that adheres aggressively to surfaces, including skin, buildings, and vegetation.
The gel structure prevents the fuel from flowing away, ensuring a constant, sustained fuel source. Since the napalm adheres to its target, the heat generated remains intensely focused on the material below. This persistent contact allows the fuel to burn for significantly longer than liquid gasoline, often at temperatures between 800 and 1,200 degrees Celsius. The thick gel also maintains the interface between the fuel and the surrounding oxygen supply, ensuring the combustion reaction continues.
Why Common Extinguishing Methods Fail
Common extinguishing methods like water or simple smothering agents are ineffective against napalm due to its adherence and high heat. Napalm is primarily a Class B fire, involving flammable liquids, which are difficult to extinguish with water. When water is applied to burning napalm, the intense heat causes it to flash-boil almost instantly into steam. This rapid conversion often results in a violent explosion that sprays the burning gel outward, a phenomenon known as the “splatter effect,” which spreads the fire rather than controlling it.
Simple smothering agents, such as dirt or sand, also fail because the tenacious gel resists physical separation from oxygen. The napalm sticks to the surface, and a thin layer of smothering material is generally insufficient to completely isolate the fuel from the air. Furthermore, the volume of material needed to fully encapsulate a large napalm fire is often impractical. The fire simply burns through or around the inadequate layer of covering material, continuing the combustion process.
Specialized Extinguishing Agents and Immediate Safety Protocols
Extinguishing a napalm fire requires breaking the fire triangle—removing the heat, the fuel, or the oxygen—using specialized techniques. Since the fuel is highly adhesive and difficult to remove, the most successful methods focus on oxygen deprivation or rapid cooling.
Specialized Extinguishing Agents
Effective extinguishing agents include specialized chemical foams, which create a blanket over the burning material to starve the fire of oxygen. These foams are designed to float on flammable liquids and create a durable barrier between the fuel and the air.
Dry chemical powders are also effective, particularly those containing potassium bicarbonate (Purple K) or sodium bicarbonate. These powders disrupt the chemical chain reaction of the fire and provide a smothering effect for Class B fires. In contained spaces, inert gases such as carbon dioxide can displace the ambient oxygen, making it impossible for the napalm to sustain combustion.
Immediate Safety Protocols
Immediate safety protocols for human exposure prioritize stopping the heat source and removing the adhering material. The first action is to physically remove the burning gel by scraping or brushing it off the skin or clothing, if possible, before it causes further damage. Water should generally be avoided initially because of the risk of spreading the burning material. Once the flames are extinguished, the priority shifts to cooling the burn area to minimize tissue damage.
If a large body of water is immediately accessible, submerging the affected area can provide rapid cooling. Running long distances while burning, however, can worsen the injury. After the fire is out, the burn should be treated like a severe chemical burn, with immediate medical attention sought. The goal is to cool the wound (not with ice) and protect it from infection while awaiting professional medical care.