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As several destructive wildfires rage across Los Angeles, the urgency of the situation is apparent as countless residents evacuate their homes. Firefighters are facing significant obstacles in their battle against the flames due to a critical shortage of water.
Since the onset of the fires on Tuesday morning, over 27,000 acres of Los Angeles County have been engulfed in flames. California Governor Gavin Newsom emphasized the severity of the situation in an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, describing the resultant destruction as “complete and utter devastation.”
More: Wind-fueled fires still torching LA area as thousands flee: Live updates
Governor Newsom noted, “We’ve depleted all our resources,” explaining that fire hydrants in the affected region have run dry. He pointed out that these hydrants are typically sufficient for battling just a couple of fires at a time, making their functionality inadequate in the face of such intense, widespread wildfires.
The Los Angeles Fire Department’s three water storage tanks, each capable of holding around a million gallons, were exhausted by early Wednesday morning, as detailed by Janisse Quiñones, chief engineer of the department. This announcement was made during a press conference held that day.
More: 3 reasons California’s wildfires got so dangerous so fast
According to Quiñones, battling wildfires with urban water supplies presents unique challenges. “We’re fighting a wildfire with urban water systems, and that is really challenging,” she stated.
In a creative response to the ongoing water crisis, firefighters were observed on Wednesday utilizing a firefighting plane to draw water from the Pacific Ocean, as reported by KTLA 5 News.
While it may seem straightforward to use ocean water in firefighting efforts, the practicality of this solution is not as simple as it appears.
Why can’t you use ocean water to put out fires?
The use of ocean water in firefighting is more complicated than it might seem.
Though saltwater can, in certain instances, help extinguish flames, it is not a practical solution for widespread use due to its potential for environmental harm and the corrosive effects it has on firefighting equipment.
As noted by Technology.org, the salt in seawater can lead to deterioration of firefighting tools, including hoses, hydrants, and tank systems.
Moreover, the elevated salt levels can wreak havoc on the ecosystems where the firefighting efforts are taking place, leading to detrimental long-term consequences, including the potential for desolate landscapes for many years.
For ocean water to be used effectively, it would need to undergo desalination. This process is considered controversial in the American West, with some environmental advocates arguing that desalination is inefficient, costly, and not necessary given ongoing efforts to address drought and wildfire crises through alternative means.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why not use ocean water to fight the LA fires? It’s not so simple.
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