Local government and Los Angeles Fire Department damage assessment reports

Los Angeles Firefighters Battle Most Destructive Fire Amid Water Shortage, 1,000 Buildings Destroyed

Jan 9, 2025, 02:39 AM

Firefighters battling the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles encountered a severe water shortage as fire hydrants ran dry due to extreme demand. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) reported that the water system was overwhelmed, with three one-million-gallon tanks in Pacific Palisades unable to be refilled fast enough to meet the demand. This led to diminished water pressure and some hydrants running dry, hampering efforts to combat the blaze. The fire, which has been described as the most destructive in Los Angeles history, has consumed over 15,800 acres and destroyed at least 1,000 buildings. LADWP officials noted that the system was pushed to its limits, experiencing four times the normal demand for 15 hours straight. Local authorities and experts have stated that urban water systems are not designed to handle large-scale wildfires, leading to calls for water conservation among residents to aid firefighting efforts.