There’s a whole ocean nearby. Why can’t it be used to fight Myrtle Beach area wildfires?

Airplanes and Blackhawk helicopters have been dropping buckets of water onto wildfires that have raged in the Myrtle Beach area this weekend.

But where are they getting the water?

Yes, there’s the Atlantic Ocean nearby that would be easy to use and provide enough water. However, saltwater isn’t a good source to fight fires, and here’s why.

Most wildfires occur in the middle of nowhere and it’s difficult to get water to those areas, said Doug Wood with the South Carolina Forestry Commission.

About 1,600 acres continue to burn Monday in the Carolina Forest area. Only 30% of that has been contained, which means that it has been kept within a perimeter, but it hasn’t been extinguished, Wood said.

“(The water) is absolutely helping, but that’s just not really available,” he said.

Blackhawk helicopters with the South Carolina National Guard have been dumping water on wildfires since Sunday.

Each helicopter bucket carries 600 gallons of water, according to a Facebook post.

Most of that water has been taken from the Intracoastal Waterway or nearby lakes, Wood said. The ocean is not a viable water source because the waters are too choppy. With the recent windy conditions, which have contributed to the spread of the wildfires, there is only so much a single-engine plane can tolerate, Wood said.

In addition, saltwater can be corrosive to firefighting equipment and cause damage to tools such as tanks, hydrants and hoses, according to Technology.org.

Saltwater also can harm plant life, making the ecosystem barren for many years. It can also reduce the cooling effect of water, making it less efficient at lowering the temperature of the fire, according to Technology.org.

Ocean water is usually only used if absolutely necessary. But because the Myrtle Beach area has many bodies of water, nearby lakes are perfect for this, Wood said.

This story was originally published March 3, 2025 at 12:30 PM.

Terri Richardson

The Sun News