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LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – As firefighters battled the Palisades Fire, now at nearly 16,000 acres, officials said high water demands were causing low water pressure and, in some cases, no water supplies. It said crews responded to dozens of “dry” fire hydrants. not at all.
The Palisades Fire, which destroyed an estimated 1,000 structures, was first reported around 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 7 in the 1100 block of North Piedra Morada Drive.
At a press conference Wednesday morning, Janice Quiñones, chief executive officer and chief engineer for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, said that by 3 a.m. on Jan. 8, the 1 million-gallon water storage tank supplying the Palisades’ fire hydrants would be He said everything was “empty.” ”
Of these three tanks, the first ran dry just before 5pm on Tuesday, the second before 9pm and the third in the early hours of Wednesday.
“There was a huge demand for our system in the Palisades,” Quiñones said at a press conference. “We pushed the system to its limits. We saw demand four times higher than normal for 15 straight hours and water pressure dropped.”
Firefighters burn a structure during the Progressing Palisades Fire and Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Tuesday, January 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent) Firefighters battle the Palisades fire burning structures in the Pacific Ocean. Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Tuesday, January 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope) A home goes up in flames during a battle with firefighters. The Palisades Fire occurred in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia) Firefighters battle the Palisades Fire around a burned building in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. 2025. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent) Firefighters use a hose to extinguish flames from the Palisades Fire in front of a home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope) Firefighters battle the Palisades Fire burning a structure in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo) /Ethan Swope) Will Adams watches flames from the Palisades Fire approach his property in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Tuesday, Jan. 2. January 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope) Firefighters battle a raging wildfire that engulfed a home in Pacific Palisades, California, on Jan. 7, 2025. (Getty Images) The Palisades Fire destroyed neighborhoods amid high winds. Wednesday, January 8, 2025, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian)
In a tweet formerly known as Twitter added.
“However, water availability was affected at high altitudes and some fire hydrants were affected due to limited refilling of water tanks in the area,” he said. “Extreme demand has slowed the rate of refilling these tanks.”
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Quiñones said much the same thing, noting that three huge storage tanks help with water pressure from fire hydrants, and that because so much water is used at lower elevations, the tanks at higher elevations don’t have enough water. He explained that it cannot be satisfied with speed.
“Water consumption was outpacing the rate at which water could be delivered to the mains,” she said.
Some, like real estate developer and former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso, were quick to criticize LAWDP leaders.
Caruso, who owns dozens of properties in Southern California, including the Palisades Village Mall, called the problem “a systemic problem in the city” and said “our infrastructure is old,” according to the Los Angeles Times The paper reported.
According to the Times, Los Angeles City Council member Tracy Park, who represents the Palisades, also slammed DWP, calling the fire hydrant issue “a chronic underinvestment in the city of Los Angeles.”
Meanwhile, DWP sent 20 tankers loaded with water to assist firefighters in the shootout in the Palisades, but the tankers were forced to replenish water in other remote areas.
“We’re constantly sending that water to the fire department to get as much water to them as possible,” Quiñones said.
In a notification from the city’s NotifyLA system, officials advised residents of the Palisades and adjacent areas about the health risks posed by high water demand, saying in a statement:
“In the Pacific Palisades, prolonged and unprecedented water demand for firefighting efforts has significantly reduced water pressure in your area. As is common with many wildfires, this has resulted in reduced water quality. and may pose a health risk. LADWP and the State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Drinking Water, ZIP Code 90272 and San Vicente. Consumers in the area bordering the north of Boulevard are strongly advised to use only boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes until further notice. please.”
For more information, please visit the LADWP website.
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