LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – California Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered an investigation into the Los Angeles Power Authority amid reports of loss of hydrant pressure and limited water resources in wildfire areas.
In a letter to LADWP CEO and Chief Engineer Janice Quiñones and Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella, Newsom wrote: The damage from the Santa Ynez Reservoir is very concerning to me and the community. ”
“We need answers as to why that happened,” Newsom went on to say, explaining his decision to order an independent investigation by the state’s water and fire officials into the cause of the loss of water supply and water pressure. .
Newsom’s letter to LADWP ordering an investigation into wildfire water supplies. January 10, 2025.
KTLA has asked LADWP for a response.
Newsom concluded his letter by offering aid and “the full technical capacity of the nation,” adding, “We hope to learn from the lessons of this tragedy.”
The Palisades Fire, which destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, broke out Tuesday on North Piedra Morada Drive in Pacific Palisades and quickly spread due to hurricane-force Santa Ana winds.
Quiñones said at a news conference Wednesday that by 3 a.m. on Jan. 8, all of the 1 million gallon water storage tanks that supply fire hydrants in the Palisades were “dry.” 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.
Beachfront property remains destroyed by the Palisades Fire in Malibu, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Structures in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. Firefighters fighting the Palisades fire burning. , Tuesday, January 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope) The Palisades Fire burns down a home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. Los Angeles, Tuesday, January 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
“There was a huge demand for our system in the Palisades,” Quiñones said. “We pushed the system to its limits. We saw demand four times higher than normal for 15 straight hours and water pressure dropped.”
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.”
In his letter, Newsom called on LADWP and Los Angeles County officials to “quickly prepare a comprehensive review examining local preparedness and response procedures.”
KTLA’s Marc Sternfield contributed to this report.
Source link
