At present, the wildfire has spread over 17,000 acres and remains completely uncontained as of January 9. Additionally, there are three other active fires: the Hurst Fire, Eaton Fire, and Sunset Fire.
Among those affected is Paris Hilton, whose Malibu home has reportedly been destroyed, and actor John Goodman, who has suffered similar loss. They are just two of the many celebrities impacted by this fierce blaze.
The news of individuals intentionally setting fires in nearby areas has sparked public outrage. Observe below:
“People are lighting fires in otherwise non-burning urban areas of LA. Saw this happen first hand at 302 Pico in Santa Monica,” podcaster Andrew Huberman shared on Twitter.
“Called it in & fire dept & police responded. Stay safe and call in any activity ASAP. We don’t need more flames out here.”
This alleged recklessness has even drawn a comment from Elon Musk, who simply remarked: “Wow.”
Another individual expressed: “What is wrong with this World?! Praying for ALL of us!”
In response to the crisis, some have suggested using water from the Pacific Ocean, which borders Los Angeles, to combat the fires intensified by hot weather and strong winds.
However, there are valid reasons why this option is not being pursued.
“Is there any particular reason why we can’t use ocean water to help put out the fires?,” one person asked on Twitter, as another claimed they had found a ‘solution’ to the wildfires, with a map pointing to the ocean.
While water naturally extinguishes fire, there are distinctions between freshwater and saltwater, making freshwater the more suitable option.
As Technology.org explains, salt can lead to corrosion. Though ocean water could potentially extinguish fires, storing it in water tanks and using it with firefighting equipment may cause damage, affecting future equipment usage.
Additionally, using saltwater could harm the ecosystem over time.
The presence of salt makes it difficult for plants to absorb water, potentially leaving landscapes barren for an extended period.