By KOLO-TV

Is it the next breakthrough in firefighting? Makers of a polymer gel say so.

Thursday firefighters from Carson City and Lake Tahoe were intentionally setting fires to test out FireIce.

FireIce is a powder that becomes a gel when water is added, and the makers say it can help stop fires, and coat buildings to protect them.

“It’s basically like a sponge so what happens when you wet a sponge it absorbs water,” Rob Rosovich of FireIce said.

Firefighters did a test that showed FireIce performed similarly to foam being used now. However, the product’s makers say it’s much better for the environment and is non-toxic.

While grants could help pay for the substance, Carson City Fire Chief Stacey Giomi says equipment would need to be modified to use it.