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Firefighting planes are dumping ocean water on the Los Angeles fires − why using saltwater is typically a last resort

  • Written by Patrick Megonigal, Associate Director of Research, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Smithsonian Institution
imageA firefighting plane dumps water on one of the fires in the Los Angeles area in January 2025.Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

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...

Read more: Firefighting planes are dumping ocean water on the Los Angeles fires − why using saltwater is...

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