Wildfires are one of nature’s most destructive forces, posing immense threats to ecosystems, human lives, and property. Recent years have witnessed an increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires worldwide, a phenomenon largely attributed to climate change. Among the many wildfires that wreaked havoc in 2025, the recent Los Angeles wildfire stood out due to its unprecedented scale and devastating impact. As flames consumed large swathes of land, firefighters were compelled to deploy unconventional methods, including the use of seawater.
While seawater offers certain advantages in emergency firefighting, it also presents numerous challenges and risks. This article explores the practicality of using seawater to fight wildfires, analyzing its benefits, drawbacks, and implications for future wildfire management.
The Rising Threat of Wildfires
In recent years, wildfires have become more severe due to prolonged droughts, record-breaking heat, and high winds—conditions exacerbated by climate change. The 2025 Los Angeles wildfire serves as a sobering example of these challenges. Spanning thousands of acres, it destroyed homes, displaced families, and strained firefighting resources.
As freshwater supplies dwindled during this crisis, firefighting teams turned to the ocean as an alternative water source. This decision, though effective in containing certain fire zones, sparked debates about the feasibility and long-term consequences of using seawater in wildfire management.
Why Water is Essential in Fighting Fires
Water plays a critical role in combating wildfires by cooling flames and depriving them of oxygen. Firefighters traditionally rely on freshwater because it is readily available, effective, and free from corrosive elements. However, the increasing scarcity of freshwater in drought-prone regions like California has prompted authorities to explore alternative options. Seawater, which constitutes 97% of the Earth’s water supply, is abundant and easily accessible in coastal areas, making it an attractive alternative during emergencies.
Immediate Benefits of Using Seawater
Abundant Resource
One of the primary advantages of seawater is its abundance. Coastal regions like Los Angeles have direct access to vast quantities of ocean water, enabling rapid deployment during emergencies. This was evident during the 2025 wildfire, where helicopters and aircrafts scooped seawater from the Pacific Ocean to suppress advancing flames.
Rapid Deployment
Seawater’s availability ensures it can be used swiftly to target critical fire zones. This rapid response capability is crucial in protecting lives, property, and infrastructure from encroaching fires.
Supplementing Freshwater Supplies
With reservoirs at critically low levels, seawater provides an alternative resource that helps conserve freshwater for other essential uses, such as drinking and irrigation. During the Los Angeles wildfire, seawater served as a vital supplement to limited freshwater reserves.
The Drawbacks of Using Seawater
Despite its advantages, seawater poses significant challenges that limit its widespread use in wildfire management. As Alex Passini, Director of Business Development at Water Never Sleeps explains:
“Seawater, 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. Salt is corrosive, and it can damage metal equipment, including critical equipment in water-dumping planes and fire pumps. Saltwater used to combat flames comes with immediate benefits but long-term risks.”
Equipment Corrosion
The high salt content in seawater accelerates corrosion in firefighting equipment such as aircraft tanks, pumps, and hoses. This not only increases maintenance costs but also reduces the lifespan and efficiency of essential tools.
Environmental Impact
When seawater is dumped on land, the residual salt can have devastating effects on the environment. Increased soil salinity makes it difficult for vegetation to recover, leading to long-term ecological imbalances. Native plants, already stressed by the fire, may struggle to re-establish, potentially altering the local ecosystem permanently.
Infrastructure Damage
Seawater runoff can corrode infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and drainage systems. In urban areas like Los Angeles, this poses additional challenges, as repairing salt-induced damage is both costly and time-consuming.
Harm to Aquatic Life
The process of scooping seawater for firefighting often involves the unintended capture of marine life, including fish and other organisms. These species, when deposited on land, face certain death, disrupting coastal ecosystems and raising ethical concerns.
Salt Residue
As seawater evaporates, it leaves behind salt deposits that can impede future firefighting efforts and complicate land rehabilitation. These residues may also interfere with the natural absorption of rainwater, prolonging recovery in fire-affected areas.
Case Study: The 2025 Los Angeles Wildfire
During the Los Angeles wildfire, firefighting teams resorted to using seawater to combat rapidly spreading flames. This decision was driven by necessity, as freshwater supplies were insufficient to meet the demands of multiple active fire zones. Helicopters and specialized aircraft, such as the Bombardier CL-415, were deployed to scoop seawater from the Pacific Ocean and drop it over critical hotspots.
While this strategy proved effective in slowing the fire’s advance, it also underscored the challenges associated with seawater use. Equipment corrosion became a significant issue, and environmentalists raised concerns about the long-term impact on soil and vegetation recovery. Despite these drawbacks, the decision to use seawater was justified by the immediate need to protect lives and property.
Balancing Necessity and Consequences
Alex Passini aptly notes that, as multiple wildfires burn in Southern California, authorities have made the rare move of scooping up ocean water to help battle the flames. While saltwater can damage infrastructure, kill wildlife, and have other consequences, sometimes it’s a necessary trade-off.
This statement highlights the delicate balance between addressing immediate threats and mitigating long-term risks. While seawater is not an ideal solution, it can serve as a critical resource during emergencies, provided its use is carefully managed.
Mitigation Strategies
To minimize the negative impacts of seawater use, authorities and researchers have proposed several strategies:
Corrosion-Resistant Equipment
Investing in materials and equipment designed to withstand saltwater exposure can reduce maintenance costs and enhance safety. Innovations in metallurgy and protective coatings may offer solutions to this challenge.
Strategic Deployment
Seawater should be used selectively in areas where its environmental impact would be minimal, such as unpopulated or inaccessible regions. This approach can help limit damage to sensitive ecosystems and infrastructure.
Soil Rehabilitation Programs
Post-fire recovery efforts should focus on restoring soil health through techniques such as desalination, planting salt-tolerant vegetation, and improving drainage systems. These measures can accelerate ecological recovery and reduce the long-term impact of seawater use.
Public Awareness and Policy Development
Educating the public about the pros and cons of seawater use in firefighting can foster support for responsible and sustainable practices. Additionally, developing clear policies and guidelines can help ensure its effective application during emergencies.
The Future of Wildfire Management
The 2025 Los Angeles wildfire underscores the urgency of rethinking how society manages increasingly frequent and intense wildfires. While seawater provides a temporary solution, it is not a sustainable substitute for freshwater or advanced firefighting technologies.
Future strategies must prioritize innovation, environmental preservation, and resilience. This includes:
- Enhancing water conservation efforts to ensure adequate freshwater supplies.
- Developing wildfire-resistant infrastructure in high-risk areas.
- Investing in predictive technologies to identify and mitigate fire hazards before they escalate.
- Exploring alternative firefighting agents that are effective and environmentally friendly.
Can seawater be used to fight wildfires? The answer is a qualified yes. While it offers immediate relief in emergencies, seawater comes with significant long-term risks that must be carefully managed. As Alex Passini’s insights reveal, the decision to use seawater is a calculated trade-off—a choice driven by necessity rather than preference.
Moving forward, a holistic approach to wildfire management is essential. By balancing short-term needs with long-term sustainability, society can better protect communities, ecosystems, and resources from the devastating impact of wildfires. With continued innovation and collaboration, we can develop more effective and resilient strategies for combating one of nature’s most formidable challenges.
