The water infrastructure relied upon to combat the Palisades fire in Los Angeles faltered under the unprecedented demands of what has become the city’s most devastating blaze.
Several hydrants ran dry early on Wednesday after being pushed beyond capacity, while firefighting aircraft support was delayed for hours.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) supplemented the system by drawing from aqueducts and groundwater. However, the sheer demand overwhelmed efforts to replenish three one-million-gallon tanks in the Pacific Palisades area, which pressurise hydrants for the neighbourhood. As a result, many hydrants were left unusable, while flames engulfed over 1,000 buildings.
The situation sparked widespread criticism on social media, including from President-elect Donald Trump, who targeted Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom, accusing them of mismanaging water resources.
State and local officials, however, refuted these claims, emphasising that the hydrant issues were unrelated to California’s broader water distribution policies or regional supply levels. They condemned the spread of misinformation during an emergency, calling the criticism misleading.
Trump, posting on his Truth Social platform, linked the incident to his longstanding critique of California’s water management strategy, which seeks to balance urban and agricultural needs with protecting endangered species like the Delta smelt. The former president, who has historically supported farmers in the dispute, alleged mismanagement by state authorities.
Janisse Quiñones, LADWP’s director, explained at a press conference that the system had 3 million gallons available at the fire’s onset, but demand exceeded quadruple that amount, far surpassing any previous levels. She noted that hydrants are designed for smaller-scale emergencies, such as house fires, and that replenishing tanks required temporarily halting firefighting operations. Mayor Bass added that 20% of the hydrants were rendered dry.
Governor Newsom, speaking on CNN, condemned Trump’s comments, criticising his attempt to politicise the tragedy. “People are literally fleeing. People have lost their lives. Kids lost their schools. Families completely torn asunder. Churches burned down. And this guy wanted to politicize it,” Newsom said.
Peter Gleick, a senior fellow at the Pacific Institute, dismissed Trump’s assertions, noting that the state’s water allocation disputes have no bearing on southern California’s firefighting resources. He clarified that although 40% of Los Angeles’s water originates from state-controlled northern projects, regional reservoirs currently maintain above-average levels.
Rick Caruso, a real estate developer and former LADWP commissioner who recently ran against Bass in the mayoral race, expressed frustration at the systemic failure, stating, “You got thousands of homes destroyed, families destroyed, businesses destroyed.
“I think you can figure out a way to get more water in the hydrants. I don’t think there’s room for excuses here.”
Frances Ibiefo
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