As multiple deadly wildfires rage across Los Angeles and hundreds of thousands of residents flee their homes, the lack of water is hampering firefighters' efforts to battle the flames.
More than 27,000 acres in Los Angeles County have been scorched since the flames began Tuesday morning. California's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom told CNN's Anderson Cooper on Wednesday that the fires had caused “complete and utter devastation.”
More: Wind-fanned fires still burning in LA as thousands flee: Live updates
“We have exhausted all our resources,” he said as fire hydrants ran dry across the region. “Those hydrants are typical for two or three fires, maybe one fire. And then you have something on this scale.”
The department's three water tanks, each holding about a million gallons, ran empty Wednesday morning, Janisse Quiñones, chief engineer of the Los Angeles Fire Department of Water and Power, told reporters at a news conference that day.
More: 3 reasons why California's wildfires became so dangerous so quickly
“We're fighting a wildfire with urban water systems, and that's really a challenge,” Quiñones said.
Responding to a lack of water, firefighters were seen scooping water from the Pacific Ocean onto a firefighting plane on Wednesday, according to KTLA 5 News.
Is it really that simple to use ocean water to fight the fire? This is why using the seemingly obvious solution of neighboring ocean water is not such a clear option.
Why can't you use ocean water to put out fires?
Unfortunately, it's not that simple.
Although salt water can be effective in fighting a fire, it is not practical for firefighters to use it routinely or system-wide, and it can be harmful to the environment.
According to Technology.org, salt water can be corrosive to firefighting equipment and cause damage to tools, such as tanks, hydrants and hoses.
Furthermore, the high salinity of the water is also potentially harmful to the ecosystems where it is used to extinguish fires, often creating an arid landscape in those areas for years to come.
To use salt water as effectively as water from fire hydrants, it must be desalinated, a controversial proposal in the American West that some environmentalists see as inefficient, expensive and unnecessary as many fought for systematic implementation to combat droughts and wildfires.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why aren't we using ocean water to fight the LA fires? It's not that simple.
