Newsom Calls For Immediate Investigation Into Empty Reservoir And Dry Hydrants As LA Fires Continue to Burn
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) called for an investigation into why a major reservoir in the Pacific Palisades was empty when the unprecedented, devastating wildfires broke out in the area this week.
“From the moment firestorms erupted in Los Angeles County on Tuesday, January 7, it was clear our public infrastructure would be put under tremendous strain. The horrific hurricane-force winds and dry conditions have produced an unprecedented urban-wildlands disaster that has pushed all of our resources to the limits,” Newsom wrote in a Friday letter to the head of the LA Department of Water and Power. He added:
The ongoing reports of the loss of water pressure to some local fire hydrants during the fires and the reported unavailability of water supplies from the Santa Ynez Reservoir are deeply troubling to me and to the community. While water supplies from local fire hydrants are not designed to extinguish wildfires over large areas, losing supplies from fire hydrants likely impaired the effort to protect some homes and evacuation corridors.
We need answers to how that happened. Therefore, I have directed state water and fire- fighting officials to prepare an independent after-incident report examining the causes of lost water supply and water pressure in municipal water systems during the fire events, and to identify measures that local governments can implement to provide adequate water supply for emergency response during future catastrophic events.
The Los Angeles Times reported on Friday that a major reservoir in the Pacific Palisades was offline and empty this week when devastating wildfires ravaged the LA-area community.
Staff reporter Matt Hamilton spoke to local officials who told “the Times that the Santa Ynez Reservoir had been closed for repairs to its cover, leaving a 117 million gallon water storage complex empty in the heart of the Palisades.”
The report added that the “revelation comes among growing questions about why firefighters ran out of water while battling the blaze. Numerous fire hydrants in higher-elevation streets of the Palisades went dry, leaving firefighters struggling with low water pressure as they combated the flames.”
“I request that LADWP and Los Angeles County officials swiftly prepare a comprehensive review examining their local preparation and response procedures to ensure available water supply for emergencies, and document any causes of the loss of water pressure and unavailability of water supplies. I am requesting you fully and transparently share information and records for the state’s after-incident review,” Newsom added in his letter, which was also sent to LA Mayor Karen Bass (D) who was in Africa when the fires first started to spread.
Reports of low water pressure and fire hydrants running dry have run rampant in recent days as finger-pointing over the scope of the devastation has already ramped up.
“NO WATER IN THE FIRE HYDRANTS, NO MONEY IN FEMA. THIS IS WHAT JOE BIDEN IS LEAVING ME. THANKS JOE!” Trump raged on Truth Social on Wednesday as he repeatedly attacked Newsom and President Joe Biden.
