LA wildfires: Amid limited fresh water supply, firefighters using seawater to douse fires
In emergencies, like the current one in Southern California, using seawater is often the quick solution. However, saltwater has several downsides.
Firefighters in Los Angeles are battling the ravaging wildfires and are facing a limited supply of fresh water. When the winds are calm enough, aerial firefighters are skimming off 1,500 gallons of seawater at a time and dumping it with high precision on the fires.
A report by The Conversation late Tuesday (January 14) said that using seawater to douse fires might sound like a simple solution.
The report said that in emergencies, like the current one in Southern California, using seawater is often the quick solution. But, seawater has its downsides due to it being salty.
Downsides of using seawater to douse fires
The report by The Conversation said that saltwater corrodes firefighting equipment and might harm ecosystems, like the chaparral shrublands around Los Angeles that aren’t normally exposed to seawater.
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The seawater being dumped on the fires in Southern California is full-strength, salty ocean water.
The report pointed out that though seawater can help douse fires, firefighters still prefer fresh water sources- provided fresh water is available.
According to fire authorities, scooping water from a large (and potentially swelling) body of water poses a significant safety issue for firefighting planes and personnel.
Also read | LA wildfires: Home of CEO who offered to pay ‘any amount’ for private fire protection goes down in flames
Meanwhile, researchers have pointed out that the widespread use of saltwater in firefighting scenarios concerns the potentially detrimental effects of seawater on vegetation and the ecosystem.
More severe weather forecast for Los Angeles area
In the latest news from the wildfires in Los Angeles, millions of residents in Southern California were on edge as a final round of dangerous fire weather was forecast for the region on Wednesday.
A report by the news agency Associated Press said that the National Weather Service issued Red Flag Warnings from 3 am to 3 pm local time from the Central Coast 443 kilometres south to the border with Mexico.
"Key message: We are not out of the woods yet. The winds underperformed today, but one more enhancement could happen tonight-tomorrow," the weather service said late Tuesday.
(With inputs from agencies)