In rural UK, Fontinalis antipyretica was traditionally used to extinguish fires as it could be found in substantial quantities in slow-moving rivers and the moss retained large volumes of water which helped extinguish the flames.
Nas zonas rurais do Reino Unido, o Fontinalis antipyretica foi empregado tradicionalmente para extinguir os lumes pois se atopaba en grandes cantidades nos ríos de caudal reducido e o musgo retiña grandes volumes de auga que axudaban a extinguir as chamas.