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As multiple wildfires burn in Southern California, including the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, authorities have made the rare move of scooping up ocean water to help battle the flames.
Saltwater can damage equipment, infrastructure and wildlife — but sometimes firefighters need to use it anyway, according to Frank Papalia, a former New York City Fire Department captain and a fire safety expert at Global Security Group.
“When someone falls down, gets hurt, possibly broke their neck or something like that, you don’t move them. [But] if there’s a fire around them, or there are chemicals around them and stuff, they’re gonna die. So you have to move them — you have no choice,” he told Fox News Digital.
At least 10 people have died in the fires across Southern California, according to authorities, and Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna said he expects the death toll to rise. More than 130,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said the state was sending more than 7,500 firefighters and support personnel to assist Los Angeles as fires continue to rage.
A firefighter battles flames from the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, on Wednesday. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Neighboring states, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and New Mexico, have also sent firefighting assets.
“There’s no question this is gonna be one of the worst fires in the history of the world,” Papalia said.