Multiple fires are devastating LA but there is a good reason why firefighters aren’t using the ocean water near by to put them out.

The largest fires ravaging California are the Palisade Fire and the Eaton Fire, as well as three other fires, named Kenneth, Hurst and Lidia.

10 people, at least, have lost their lives due to the various wildfires and thousands have had to evacuate their homes with many buildings being destroyed.

Kenneth is the latest fire and as reported by The Independent, the LAPD think it may have been started intentionally and a man has been arrested.

The LA Fire Department put out a call to ask off-duty firefights to step in and help. Strong winds have spread the fire, making things even more dangerous and harder to control.

Reaching gusts of around 100mph has also meant that homes have lost power as well as around 15,000 homes having their power shut off to avoid starting any more fires.

Emergency services had to use bulldozers to get through the abandoned cars and vehicles left behind, as people fled for their lives.

People online are a little baffled as to why firefighters aren’t using the nearby ocean water to help put out the flames. One person wrote on Twitter: “Is there any particular reason why we can’t use ocean water to help put out the fires?,”.

Water is of course needed to put out the flames, but there is a huge difference between freshwater and saltwater.

The salt from the ocean can cause corrosion. While yes, using the water would distinguish the fires, storing the seawater in tanks and putting it in contact with the firefighters equipment can cause damage.

Another reason saltwater isn’t being used, it due to the impact the salt would have on the ecosystem. Salt impacts how plants get water, meaning it could potentially leave landscapes barren, unable to produce anything for years.

Salt can impact the cooling impact of water, meaning the water wouldn’t be as effective at distinguishing the flames.