ClimateAugust 22, 2026

waterbombing

WAH-ter-bom-ing

Definition

The aerial release of large quantities of water or fire retardant from aircraft to suppress or extinguish fires.

Etymology

This word is a modern compound formed from 'water' and 'bombing', referring to the process of dropping a payload of water similar to how an aircraft drops bombs.

In the news

The article mentions the use of six helicopters for waterbombing operations to help contain the extensive wildfires in Borneo. This tactic is crucial for reaching areas that ground crews cannot easily access.

Indonesia bolsters troop numbers to combat Borneo wildfires

Read the full article ↗

Al Jazeera

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