Reports from Los Angeles Department of Water and Power or investigative journalism from local news

LA Firefighters Battle 16,000-Acre Palisades Fire with Dry Hydrants, Forced to Improvise

Jan 9, 2025, 01:34 PM

Wildfires in Los Angeles, including the nearly 16,000-acre Palisades Fire, have become the most destructive in the city's history, presenting severe challenges for firefighters as fire hydrants in areas like Pacific Palisades have run dry due to "tremendous demand" on the water system. As fires raged on Tuesday and Wednesday, firefighters reported that hydrants were producing little to no water, hindering efforts to contain the flames. The Pacific Palisades neighborhood relies on three one-million-gallon water tanks, all of which were depleted by 3 a.m. on January 8, according to Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Chief Engineer Janisse Quiñones. The lack of water forced some firefighters to resort to unconventional methods, such as using traffic cones to scoop water from puddles and using garden hoses from residential homes to fill their tanks. City officials cited the unprecedented demand on the water system as the cause, with some areas' infrastructure not designed to handle fires of this magnitude. Residents have been urged to conserve water as the firefighting efforts continue.