Los Angeles' water chief reportedly knew about an empty reservoir and broken fire hydrants months before the deadly wildfires now spreading across the city.

With Southern California ablaze, the lack of water leaves many wondering, why not use ocean water to combat fires?

The recent and still-raging Los Angeles wildfires have prompted some online to wonder: Can we use ocean water to fight fires? While the Pacific Ocean sits adjacent to the city of Los Angeles, several factors render its use in firefighting impractical and even potentially harmful.