Firefighters Running Out Of Water As Fires Tear Through Los Angeles

Posted • January 8, 2025: Firefighters in Southern California face a worst-case scenario in their battle against multiple wildfires that have already destroyed dozens, possibly hundreds, of homes and displaced thousands of residents. High winds are driving the spread of the fires and have also grounded aircraft, the steep terrain and speed of the fires have made it near impossible to cut fire lines fast enough to slow, much less contain the devastating fires. Latest reports say the Palisades, Hurst, and Eaton fires are 0% contained. Fox News is reporting the possibility of two additional fires that are being reported in the area. If grounded aircraft and high winds pushing an incredibly intense fire weren't challenging enough, firefighters on the ground faced another devastating problem while they struggled to battle the blaze: no water.

Fire hydrants were found to have little to no pressure or to be completely dry with no water at all. Firefighters were forced to abandon suppression operations and focus on saving lives by aiding in the evacuations. While there is nothing that can be done about the weather, the water supply is another matter. Former LA Mayoral Candidate Rick Caruso, a former commissioner on the LA Water Board, told the LA Times that the water supply issues come from a combination of mismanagement and aging infrastructure. […] While California has spent billions on pet projects like high-speed rail, they have neglected the critical infrastructure that supplies water to fire hydrants. (…)

• More at: Twitchy - Worst Case Scenario: High Winds and Lack of Water Hamper Firefighters in California
https://twitchy.com/eric-v/2025/01/08/high-winds-and-lack-of-water-hamper-firefighters-in-california-n2406309
New York Post: Firefighters running out of water as fires tear through Los Angeles
https://nypost.com/2025/01/08/us-news/firefighters-run-out-of-water-as-fires-tear-through-los-angeles/