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.
Firefighters running out of water as fires tear through Los Angeles https://t.co/LCiAXlfjmO pic.twitter.com/T3acf6aGJB
— New York Post (@nypost) January 8, 2025
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.
Billionaire LA developer Rick Caruso, a former commissioner of the city’s water board, said he noticed the dry hydrants while several homes near his glamorous Palisades Village shopping center were “fully engulfed” in flames.
“There’s no water in the fire hydrants,” Caruso told the LA paper.
“The firefighters are there and there’s nothing they can do — we’ve got neighborhoods burning, homes burning, and businesses burning. … It should never happen.”
Caruso said the problem stems from the reservoirs that feed the neighborhood’s hydrants.
“This is a window into a systemic problem of the city — not only of mismanagement, but our infrastructure is old,” said Caruso, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2022.
While California has spent billions on pet projects like high-speed rail, they have neglected the critical infrastructure that supplies water to fire hydrants.
Los Angeles County voted 2018 to spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year for to collect storm water.
— Free River Girl (@ChazDogs) January 8, 2025
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works has 126 regional program projects funded but only a dozen completed.
Democrats suck at running things. pic.twitter.com/dCdszz4jQd
Maybe Cali should have built a few reservoirs instead of letting all its water flow into the Pacific?
— Jonas Goldsmith 🐭🚜 (@JonasRG) January 8, 2025
As of this writing, the Woodly fire, between the Palisades and Hurst fires, has been confirmed. Firefighters continue to battle the blaze with whatever resources they have. At least three have been injured thus far. One firefighter has suffered what is being reported as a serious head injury, requiring transport to a trauma center. Several civilians have also been injured.
LIVE UPDATES: ‘Dynamic and dangerous’ fires are continuing to grow, Los Angeles official sayshttps://t.co/Ohl5773k2W pic.twitter.com/0HxDbd7E2L
— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 8, 2025
This is becoming catastrophic.
— American Rabbit (@Rabbitturd1) January 8, 2025
Praying for all who live there. 🙏
— American Patriot 🇺🇸 (@JWe9378) January 8, 2025
Prayers may be the only abundant resource firefighters have in the face of rapidly moving wildfires, with high winds hampering air support and a lack of water on the ground.
They can definitely use them.
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