Salt water from the ocean is an option for fighting L.A.'s fires, but it's more complicated than simply going to the beach to transport water to the hillsides.

Firefighters battling the deadly wildfires that raced through the Los Angeles area in January 2025 have been hampered by a limited supply of freshwater. So, when the winds are calm enough, skilled ...

While some fire hydrants in Los Angeles ran dry amid the extreme wildfires, people wondered if firefighters could use salt water from the ocean instead of depleting fresh water sources.

While some fire hydrants in Los Angeles ran dry amid the extreme wildfires, people wondered if firefighters could use salt water from the ocean instead of depleting fresh water sources. The short ...

where water from freshwater rivers and a salty ocean mix. Rain that fell after the experiments in 2022 and 2023 washed salts out of the soil. But a major drought followed the 2024 experiment ...

Salty water can harm plants and soil, and the corrosion caused by salt can lead to increased maintenance and repair costs for firefighting apparatus. Another limitation of ocean water is its ...

Sea water, in theory, could be used to help a fire. But, its salty components can do more harm than good, which is why firefighters typically avoid using it unless absolutely necessary.

Sea-level rise has increased by an average of about 8 inches globally over the past century, and that water has pushed salty water into U.S. forests, farms and neighborhoods that had previously ...

While the Pacific Ocean offers a nearly unlimited water supply, firefighters typically prefer fresh water. Scientists say fresh water has a higher cooling capacity compared to salt water ...

By the very nature of their company, Moe McKeown and Tom Leach, directors of Dingle Sea Salt, are keenly aware of the ongoing ...