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Southern California is facing one of its most catastrophic wildfire seasons, with flames engulfing large areas, including Los Angeles, where the Palisades Fire rages on. In a rare move, firefighters are resorting to using ocean water to combat the uncontrollable infernos, a decision that offers immediate relief but carries long-term risks.
Saltwater, while effective in quelling flames, poses significant challenges. It can corrode equipment, damage infrastructure, and harm wildlife. However, as Frank Papalia, a fire safety expert and former New York City Fire Department lieutenant, explained, desperate situations call for desperate measures.
“If someone is in immediate danger from fire or chemicals, you have to act, even if there are risks,” Papalia told Fox News Digital. The same principle applies when saltwater becomes the only viable option to prevent an urban area from being reduced to ashes.
In Los Angeles, helicopters and planes are drawing saltwater directly from the Pacific Ocean and dumping it onto the flames. This method is crucial in large-scale wildfires but comes with limitations.
One aircraft was grounded after a drone struck its wing, prompting an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Interfering with firefighting efforts is a federal crime punishable by up to a year in prison and a $75,000 fine.
While saltwater offers a quick solution, it creates challenges for long-term recovery. Fire hydrants, for instance, cannot use saltwater due to corrosion and the cost of installing specialized systems connected to ocean pumps.
“The cost of creating saltwater hydrants would be ridiculous,” Papalia said, emphasizing that the current freshwater infrastructure cannot handle the corrosive properties of saltwater.
Firetrucks, however, can pump saltwater if close enough to a source, such as the ocean or a bay. Papalia cited examples at New York’s JFK Airport, where water is drawn from Jamaica Bay for emergencies.
Still, logistical challenges, like driving firetrucks onto sandy beaches, make this solution less practical in many areas.
As of now, at least 10 lives have been lost to the wildfires, with authorities expecting the death toll to rise. More than 130,000 residents have been evacuated, and California Governor Gavin Newsom has deployed over 7,500 firefighters and support personnel to assist in combating the flames.
Neighboring states, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and New Mexico, have also sent firefighting reinforcements.
“This is shaping up to be one of the worst fires in world history,” Papalia remarked, emphasizing the scale of destruction.
The combination of relentless winds, dry conditions, and limited firefighting resources has left the region struggling to contain the devastation.
Despite its risks, using saltwater highlights the dire reality of fighting such overwhelming blazes. With infrastructure unable to keep up and environmental consequences looming, the decision reflects the immediate need to save lives and property, even at a significant cost.
