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

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 pilots flying planes aptly named Super Scoopers are skimming off 1,500 gallons of seawater at a time and dumping it with high precision on the fires.

Using seawater to fight fires can sound like a simple solution – the Pacific Ocean has a seemingly endless supply of water. In emergencies like Southern California is facing, it’s often the only quick solution, though the operation can be risky amid ocean swells.

But seawater also has downsides.

Saltwater corrodes firefighting equipment and may harm ecosystems, especially those like the chaparral shrublands around Los Angeles that aren’t normally exposed to seawater. Gardeners know that small amounts of salt – added, say, as fertilizer – does not harm plants, but excessive salts can stress and kill plants.

While the consequences of adding seawater to ecosystems are not yet well understood, we can gain insights on what to expect by considering the effects of sea-level rise.

A seawater experiment in a coastal forest

As an ecosystem ecologist at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, I lead a novel experiment called TEMPEST that was designed to understand how and why historically salt-free coastal forests react to their first exposures to salty water.

Sea-level rise has increased by an average of about 8 inches globally over the past century, and that water has pushed salty water into U.S. forests, farms and neighborhoods that had previously known only freshwater. As the rate of sea-level rise accelerates, storms push seawater ever farther onto the dry land, eventually killing trees and creating ghost forests, a result of climate change that is widespread in the U.S. and globally.

In our TEMPEST test plots, we pump salty water from the nearby Chesapeake Bay into tanks, then sprinkle it on the forest soil surface fast enough to saturate the soil for about 10 hours at a time. This simulates a surge of salty water during a big storm.

Scientists work in a test plot where saltwater experiments are showing the impact of sea-level rise on coastal forests. Alice Stearns/Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Our coastal forest showed little effect from the first 10-hour exposure to salty water in June 2022 and grew normally for the rest of the year. We increased the exposure to 20 hours in June 2023, and the forest still appeared mostly unfazed, although the tulip poplar trees were drawing water from the soil more slowly, which may be an early warning signal.

Things changed after a 30-hour exposure in June 2024. The leaves of tulip poplar in the forests started to brown in mid-August, several weeks earlier than normal. By mid-September the forest canopy was bare, as if winter had set in. These changes did not occur in a nearby plot that we treated the same way, but with freshwater rather than seawater.

The initial resilience of our forest can be explained in part by the relatively low amount of salt in the water in this estuary, where water from freshwater rivers and a salty ocean mix. Rain that fell after the experiments in 2022 and 2023 washed salts out of the soil.

But a major drought followed the 2024 experiment, so salts lingered in the soil then. The trees’ longer exposure to salty soils after our 2024 experiment may have exceeded their ability to tolerate these conditions.

Seawater being dumped on the Southern California fires is full-strength, salty ocean water. And conditions there have been very dry, particularly compared with our East Coast forest plot.

Changes evident in the ground

Our research group is still trying to understand all the factors that limit the forest’s tolerance to salty water, and how our results apply to other ecosystems such as those in the Los Angeles area.

Tree leaves turning from green to brown well before fall was a surprise, but there were other surprises hidden in the soil below our feet.

Rainwater percolating through the soil is normally clear, but about a month after the first and only 10-hour exposure to salty water in 2022, the soil water turned brown and stayed that way for two years. The brown color comes from carbon-based compounds leached from dead plant material. It’s a process similar to making tea.

Water drawn from the soil after one saltwater experiment is the color of tea, reflecting abundant compounds leached from dead plant material. Normally, soil water would appear clear. Alice Stearns/Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY-ND

Our lab experiments suggest that salt was causing clay and other particles to disperse and move about in the soil. Such changes in soil chemistry and structure can persist for many years.

Sea-level rise is increasing coastal exposure

While ocean water can help fight fires, there are reasons fire officials prefer freshwater sources – provided freshwater is available.

U.S. coastlines, meanwhile, are facing more extensive and frequent saltwater exposure as rising global temperatures accelerate sea-level rise that drowns forests, fields and farms, with unknown risks for coastal landscapes.

Patrick Megonigal, Associate Director of Research, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Smithsonian Institution

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Judge Aileen Cannon on Monday shot down a last-ditch bid by President-elect Donald Trump's attorneys to suppress the release of special counsel Jack Smith's final report on Trump's efforts to illegally remain in power after he lost the 2020 election.

As reported by legal analyst Adam Klasfeld on BlueSky, Cannon denied an emergency motion filed by attorneys representing Trump codefendants Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, who were both implicated in the Mar-a-Lago documents case.

Cannon also set a date of Friday, January 17th for a hearing on whether to authorize the release of Smith's final report on the documents case, which she dismissed last year after finding that Smith was not properly appointed as special counsel.

Unless further legal challenges arise, the United States Department of Justice can release the first volume of Smith's final report as soon as Tuesday, January 14th.

Trump’s ethos of expansion came into view this week when his ‘jokes’ about invading Greenland and Panama morphed into serious threats.

Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a founding member of NATO, and long-term US ally. Panama has controlled the Panama Canal for decades under the terms of a 1979 treaty. Speaking to reporters, Trump said he would not rule out the use of military force against either of them. “The Panama Canal is vital to our country,” he announced, and “We need Greenland for national security purposes.”

Not satisfied with threatening two sovereign allies, Trump turned also to Canada, and promised to use “economic force” to coerce Canada into becoming the 51st state, against the will of Canadians. Canada, like Greenland, is so rich in natural resources Trump wants to grab it non-consensually.

The free world is not amused

Putin likely watched Trump’s unhinged presser threating NATO sovereigns on replay, savoring his disordered words with a cigar and a nice Chianti. Leaders of the free world, not so much.

France warned Trump about threatening the “sovereign borders” of the European Union; the French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, said, “There is no question of the EU letting other nations in the world, whoever they may be, attack its sovereign borders.”

Panamanian president Mulino responded plainly that the canal is not up for discussion and “will remain” under Panama’s control, as Canada’s outgoing prime minister, Justin Trudeau, wrote, “There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States.” Canadian Lawmaker Elizabeth May turned the tables and offered to annex California, Oregon and Washington. She said at least they’d have free healthcare and stricter gun laws. “We’re not a big nation for braggarts and bullies,” she added. “We actually like to think we’re of service in the world.”

Trump and Musk, global bully wannabes

Trump’s dangerous rhetoric is in goosestep with “first buddy” Elon Musk’s escalating attacks against the entire pro-Western world order. Musk, who has never been elected to any office, jumped into German politics to endorse the far-right, Neo-Nazi party AfD. Musk also weighed in on Italy’s immigration policy, writing, “Do the people of Italy live in a democracy or does an unelected autocracy make the decisions?” Could someone please get this arrogant, unelected autocrat a mirror?

On a tear, Musk also launched juvenile attacks against Great Britain’s government, again advancing fascistic, right-wing politics. He accused the Prime Minister of “raping” Britain, called for a minister to be imprisoned, and suggested that King Charles dissolve parliament.

After a Finnish doctoral student described Musk as an historically dangerous purveyor of disinformation, the president-elect’s right hand man publicly replied, “F U retard.” Lee Greenwood is proud to be an American, where leaders mock the disabled.

Trump’s support for the Ukraine invasion: a primer

If anyone is still scratching their heads about why Trump supported Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, they can stop. Trump and Musk defend Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, a sovereign neighbor, because they hope to emulate it. Canada, Panama and Greenland (for starters) are as enticing to Trump/Musk as Ukraine is to Putin, their citizens’ wishes equally irrelevant.

Trump/Musk similarly admire China’s Xi, who granted himself power for life with an iron fist over citizens’ communications. Trump said he’d like to give the same thing “a shot some day,” while Musk already silences dissent among X’s 600 million users.

Trump, a dangerous imbecile to half the nation and most of the world, appears to have no acquaintance with the post WWII global order, how it came to be, or America’s pivotal role in it, yet he shows a chilling fondness for Lebensraum, the Nazi concept of expansionism. Lebensraum provided cover for Hitler’s territorial expansion into Central and Eastern Europe because, Hitler said, it was ‘necessary for Germany’s survival.’ To solidify his grip, Hitler also scapegoated minorities, liberals, and Germans who did not support his military aggression.

Because Trump doesn’t understand the sacrifice made by 400,000 American soldiers who died to defeat fascism, or that 60 million people perished in WWII, he is oblivious to the history he’s pissing on. He does, however, appear to grasp- and resent- that support for Ukraine reinforces the sovereignty of all nations, a concept protected by NATO since the Paris Peace Treaties and the conclusion of WWII.

Are Trump’s theatrics meant to distract?

It’s entirely plausible that Trump’s global stunts are a ruse. Taunting our allies to the brink of war is a great way to frighten and distract a gullible public, and he needs something shiny on a rotating basis to entertain his base. Most importantly, if people are busy digging a bunker- figuratively or literally- they’ll pay less attention to what really makes Trump salivate: revenge on his enemies and robbing the till, most likely in reverse order.

Trump seeks to multiply his own wealth, whether by direct payment, as in his unprecedented and unrestricted $170 million “inauguration” fund, or $90 million pay-for-play fees at Mar-a-Lago, cash bribes from foreign actors, or the embarrassing grift of selling gold sneakers, signed bibles and action figures of himself. He won’t likely stop until the Trump family worth reaches the level it should have and would have reached, given Trump’s inheritance, had he possessed transactional competence. His six bankruptcies are glaring totems of the opposite, and yet 49% of the nation believes he was a successful businessman. When his supporters tire of global military scares, Trump will conjure a domestic doozy of a threat for cover; he may not even wait until he’s sworn in to do it.

At some point during his reign, Trump will need to empower a successor. That designee must protect the oligarchy for as long as possible, long enough to deflect legal accountability until Trump dies, family assets are secured in offshore trusts, or his dementia becomes irrefutable.

Though it is not a forgone conclusion that there will even be a successor while Trump is still alive, my money is on a successful Article II challenge. Art. II restricts the presidency to ‘natural born’ US citizens; Musk was born in South Africa. The Roberts court, vanguard of corporate wealth and partisan foe to voting rights, will likely revisit the clause near the end of Trump’s second term, right after they deny a 1st A challenge to weaponized disinformation.

NOW READ: Trump's lies are winning as Democrats fall into a deadly trap

Sabrina Haake is a columnist and 25 year litigator specializing in 1st and 14th Amendment defense. Her Substack, the Haake Take, is free.

Donald Trump's 2024 presidential election win is creating havoc in his hometown of Palm Beach as supporters and supplicants invade the town causing traffic problems for some of the wealthy denizens who don't appreciate the crowds and the traffic they bring.

According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Trump making his Mar-a-Lago resort his home after he bolted out of New York City has created problems for the beach community that has only grown since he was re-elected.

The report notes the Secret Service shutdowns of main routes about town has riled longtime residents –– in particular some of the wealthier ones who are not used to being inconvenienced.

Also read: 'Bring it on': Defiant Raskin responds to GOP threats of retaliation for J6 investigation

As the Journal's Holly Peterson wrote, "New security measures, introduced after the assassination attempts over the summer, have made travel by air, land and sea in Palm Beach a testing affair whenever Trump’s in town. The president-elect now crosses blockaded bridges like Brezhnev’s Soviet convoys speeding through Moscow’s emptied thoroughfares."

The report adds that some trips that "once took nine minutes can now take an hour, depending on the time of day," with Peterson reporting, "This means the billionaires with estates within this mile-long zone need a special pass to get home. Everyone else living or working on either side of this zone has to drive over a drawbridge to the mainland, then back over another drawbridge onto the island again."

According to Tom Quinn who has maintained a home there for five decades, "The number one topic at any meal is parking and traffic. Wealthy people are used to paying their way out of travel inconveniences. When they can’t, they blow their top.”

The report adds that complaints reached such a fever pitch that "Local officials have threatened to shut down Mar-a-Lago or yank the special agreements that allow for parties there."

That led Palm Beach Mayor Danielle Moore to assert at a town meeting, "In my mind, if the road is closed, the Mar-a-Lago Club is closed.”

You can read more here.

At a time when the always newsworthy Donald Trump is headed back to the White House, the venerable Washington Post should be gearing up to cover his second term but instead is being subjected to an exodus of top reporters and internal strife, reports the Wall Street Journal's Alexandra Bruell.

In her report for the Journal, Bruell notes that Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos, who bought the Post in 2013 for $250 million, just watched his investment lose around $100 million last year as new management has failed to stop the bleeding.

The Journal also reports that top-flight journalists are also fleeing to greener pastures under the management of interim executive editor Matt Murray and publisher William Lewis who has still not righted the ship since his hiring.

ALSO READ: Merrick Garland's last task and the explosive evidence that could save America

Adding to the Post's problems was a decision to spike an endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris before the 2024 presidential election that led to a revolt by readers with a reported 250,000 people canceling their subscriptions within days.

According to the Journal, "The changes inside the Post have left many staffers frustrated and confused about the future, the people close to the newsroom said. Journalists across areas from politics to national security, including Ashley Parker, Michael Scherer, Tyler Pager and Hannah Allam, have defected to publications such as the New York Times, the Atlantic and ProPublica. Josh Dawsey, a political investigations and enterprise reporter, is leaving for the Journal, where he worked before the Post," adding, "National editor Philip Rucker, investigations editor Peter Wallsten and senior national investigations editor Rosalind Helderman are in the latest batch of newsroom leaders taking calls from other publications."

Attendant readership has also taken a reported drop, with the Journal reporting, "Post leadership has internally discussed a goal of reaching 200 million users, according to staffers, though some in the newsroom say it isn’t clear how that will be measured and whether the figure includes social media followers. The Post had 54 million digital visitors in November 2024, according to media-measurement firm Comscore, down from 114 million in November 2020."

You can read more here.

Reacting in real-time as Donald Trump's sentencing hearing on 34 felony counts was ongoing, an MSNBC legal analyst admitted she was "legally shocked" at how the president-elect conducted himself.

With Trump appearing in Judge Juan Merchan's courtroom via video feed, the hosts on MSNBC read texts from producers in the courtroom and related that Trump chose to challenge his convictions that now make him a felon when he was already notified he would face no penalties.

According to former prosecutor Kristin Gibbons Feden, she could understand why the convicted Trump would want to push back, but was nonetheless still surprised he did.

ALSO READ: Revealed: The secret Republican plot to disenfranchise millions of voters

"Actually what stands out to me is, while I am legally shocked, I'm personally not surprised," she admitted. "I'm surprised that Donald Trump exercised his right of allocution. The right of allocution is a right that is promised to every single criminal defendant, right before they are sentenced by a judge to offer some type of self-advocacy, contrition, something to say, 'Hey, I'm remorseful for what I did.'"

"Doesn't sound like that's what happened today," MSNBC host Ana Cabrera interjected.

"Not. At. All," Gibbons Feden replied. "And again, most defendants who have made clear that they intend to appeal any conviction don't really exercise that right of allocution, and here Donald Trump did."

"The reason why I'm legally shocked is because he really didn't need to," she elaborated. "Judge Merchan already stated that he intended to not really give him a sentence, that unconditional discharge, which means you have the conviction, but you have no jail time, you have no parole, you have no probation, you have no fine. You essentially get to walk home, unlike most other criminal defendants."

Watch below or at the link right here.

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