Wildfires in Los Angeles have claimed at least 11 lives, left thousands homeless, and destroyed businesses, schools, and churches. Over 150,000 residents were ordered to evacuate as the raging fires devastated parts of California.
According to a report by CNN, no water system in the world could have fully managed such an overwhelming blaze.
A comprehensive report published by CNN cited expert opinions, highlighting that fire hydrants were insufficient to combat the scale of the fires.
“We have lost most of the hydrant pressure,” a firefighter said around 2:45 am. while requesting assistance to refill fire engines, according to a county dispatch recording.
Another firefighter added, “Got dry hydrants.”
However, a water resources expert noted that fully operational hydrants were helping to minimise some of the damage.
Another expert pointed out that some hydrants ran dry due to unprecedented demand, as they were not designed to withstand such intense firefighting efforts.
The report further explained that Pacific Palisades had been experiencing reduced water flow due to decreasing pipe sizes, according to Janisse Quiñones, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Engineer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
One firefighter mentioned that three separate water storage tanks, with roughly one million gallons of water, were added to support firefighting efforts. However, these tanks sporadically ran dry, causing pressure drops in the hydrants.
At least 20% of the hydrants were used to combat the Palisades fire. “We are fighting a wildfire with an urban water system, and that is challenging,” Quiñones said. “This is an unprecedented event.”
On Friday, reports revealed that a nearby reservoir was empty because it was undergoing repair work. The matter is currently under investigation.
Moreover, the fire-engulfed LA was also facing electricity issues, preventing waterpumps refilling of the tank. Southern California Edison had cut power in the area to protect firefighters from falling power lines. However, the power outage prevented water pumps from refilling tanks.
Despite Los Angeles being no stranger to wildfires, Mayor Karen Bass had approved a $17 million cut in the annual fire department budget.
Responding to criticism, Bass stated that the budget cuts would not have impacted the current situation, as the challenges faced were beyond the scope of routine preparations.
