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New Delhi:
As crews battled devastating wildfires across Los Angeles, a major challenge emerged: fire hydrants in some areas ran dry, and low water pressure hampered efforts to contain the blaze.
According to an LA Times report, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) and other local water utilities faced unprecedented strain as firefighters attempted to draw massive amounts of water over extended periods. Martin Adams, former general manager of DWP, told the LA Times that the city's water systems were never designed to support firefighting efforts of this scale. "The system has never been designed to fight a wildfire that then envelops a community," Adams said.
In Pacific Palisades, a particularly hard-hit area, several hydrants reportedly failed or provided insufficient water. Similar issues arose in Altadena and Pasadena, where firefighters reported low water pressure.
Photo Credit: AFP
In Pacific Palisades, the local water system relies on gravity-fed storage tanks situated in hilltop areas. These tanks - designed to hold about one million gallons each - supply water to hydrants below. However, the intense firefighting efforts drained the tanks rapidly, leading to dry hydrants in higher-elevation neighborhoods like Palisades Highlands. According to a DWP official, water demand surged to four times the usual rate for 15 hours straight, overwhelming the system.
Compounding the issue, a nearby DWP reservoir was out of service for maintenance. Officials are now investigating how this may have further limited water availability. While tanker trucks were dispatched to supply water in critical areas, the logistical challenges of transporting water delayed efforts to address the shortages effectively.
Topography plays a role in water distribution challenges. Los Angeles spans a range of elevations, from sea level to over 1,500 feet in Pacific Palisades. Water systems in such areas are divided into pressure zones, typically in 100-foot elevation increments. These zones can limit water flow when demand surges during emergencies.
In Altadena and Pasadena, water distribution faced additional complications. The Eaton Fire, which caused extensive damage in these areas, exposed the challenges faced by local water suppliers. These suppliers struggled to maintain adequate pressure due to power outages that affected their pumps. Power was cut in some areas to protect firefighters from falling power lines and cables. It was a Catch-22 situation.
Photo Credit: AFP
The Palisades Fire alone destroyed over 5,000 structures, while the Eaton Fire damaged or destroyed another 4,000 to 5,000. The damage sustained and the infrastructure available to tackle to prevent that is grossly mismatched.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered an independent investigation into the water supply failures, describing the reports as "deeply troubling." The investigation will examine the preparedness and response of agencies like DWP and local utilities. Additionally, Los Angeles city leaders, including Mayor Karen Bass, have faced criticism over budget cuts to fire department resources, which some argue have weakened the city's ability to respond to large-scale emergencies.
Experts have proposed various strategies to address these challenges. Expanding water storage capacity in high-risk areas, upgrading pipelines to handle higher demand, and investing in backup power systems for pumps are among the suggested measures. However, these solutions come with financial and logistical hurdles.
Historically, firefighters have turned to unconventional water sources, such as swimming pools or ocean water, when hydrants fail.
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