Firefighters in Los Angeles faced difficulties accessing water from hydrants as several major fires ravaged the region, destroying over 1,000 structures and claiming two lives. Hydrants in the Pacific Palisades ran dry, prompting concerns about water supply management during emergencies.
People enter an evacuation zone to take selfie photos and videos near burning homes at the Eaton Fire on January 7, 2025 in Pasadena, California.Firefighters struggled to get fire hydrants to work properly on Tuesday as several fires in the Los Angeles area started to rage, with hydrants in Pacific Palisades running completely dry early Wednesday, according to fire and water officials speaking at a press conference Wednesday morning. There are currently three major fires burning in the L.A.
The hydrants get water from the nearby reservoir and L.A. City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said they don’t have a specific number of hydrants that ultimately ran out of water but emphasized that it was temporary and “came in phases.” Frustration over the lack of water in hydrants isn’t new and has become a point of contention for people who say it’s a result of mismanagement. Rick Caruso, a billionaire real estate developer who ran an unsuccessful campaign for mayor of L.A. in 2022, told the L.A. Times that staff from his nearby property, the Palisades Village, were reporting the difficulties with hydrants on Tuesday..
“The L.A. County Fire Department was prepared for one or two major brush fires, but not four, especially given these sustained winds and low humidities,” L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said Wednesday.
FIRES CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES WATER SUPPLY EVACUATIONS
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