In a devastating turn of events during Tuesday's wildfire in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles firefighters faced an unprecedented challenge when fire hydrants across the neighborhood ran completely dry, hampering efforts to combat the rapidly spreading blaze.
According to Janisse Quiñones, chief executive of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP), the system experienced "four times the normal demand" over 15 hours, causing water pressure to plummet. By 3 a.m. Wednesday, all hydrants in the affected area had no water flow.
The water crisis stemmed from three large supply tanks, each holding approximately 1 million gallons, that service the hillside neighborhood. These tanks depleted in succession - the first at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, the second at 8:30 p.m., and the final tank at 3 a.m. Wednesday. DWP officials explained that water consumption outpaced their ability to refill the tanks, particularly at higher elevations.
The infrastructure failure drew sharp criticism from prominent local figures, including developer Rick Caruso, whose Palisades Village mall sustained damage in the fire. "There's no water in the fire hydrants," Caruso said during live TV interviews. "We've got neighborhoods burning, homes burning, and businesses burning... It should never happen."
City Councilmember Traci Park expressed similar concerns, pointing to "chronic under-investment" in public infrastructure. "I'm already working with my team to take a closer look at this, and I think we've got more questions than answers at this point," Park stated.
In response to the crisis, DWP deployed 20 water tanks to support firefighting efforts, with tankers having to reload at distant locations. The utility faced additional challenges accessing pump stations due to the ongoing fire.
By Wednesday morning, numerous buildings and homes in Pacific Palisades were reduced to ash and rubble. The incident has sparked renewed debate about the city's aging infrastructure and its ability to handle extreme emergencies.