Los Angeles Water System Overwhelmed by Four-Fold Demand During Wildfires, Sparking Investigation

Los Angeles, California – Recent devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area, which broke out on January 7, 2025, led to critical water supply issues for firefighters, with hydrants experiencing low pressure or running dry in several communities. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) reported that the system faced an unprecedented demand, surging to four times its normal usage for 15 hours straight, particularly in elevated areas like Pacific Palisades. This overwhelming demand outstripped the capacity of urban water infrastructure designed for typical structural fires, not large-scale wildfires.

The challenges faced by fire crews were exacerbated by strong Santa Ana winds, which grounded aerial firefighting support, forcing a greater reliance on ground-based hydrants. Janisse Quiñones, LADWP's chief executive and chief engineer, stated, "We pushed the system to the extreme." Additionally, the Santa Ynez Reservoir, a key water storage facility for the Pacific Palisades, was reportedly offline for maintenance when the fires ignited, further impacting local supply, though LADWP maintained overall water availability was strong.

The situation quickly drew political commentary. Kevin Dalton stated in a tweet, "Gavin Newsom’s California: We don’t have enough water to fight wildfires Also Gavin Newsom’s California: [linked content]," implying a contradiction in the state's water management. Former President-elect Donald Trump also criticized Governor Newsom, linking the hydrant issues to broader state water distribution policies.

However, state officials and water experts, including Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute, refuted these claims, clarifying that the localized hydrant problems were due to infrastructure design limitations and not a statewide water shortage or distribution policies. California's reservoirs were reported to be at or above historic average levels. Greg Pierce, a water resources expert at UCLA, highlighted that urban water systems are not engineered to combat such massive, fast-moving wildfires, and redesigning them for this purpose would be prohibitively expensive.

Governor Gavin Newsom acknowledged the severity of the issue, ordering an investigation into the water supply problems. "The ongoing reports of the loss of water pressure to some local fire hydrants during the fires and the reported unavailability of water supplies from the Santa Ynez Reservoir are deeply troubling to me and to the community," Newsom stated, emphasizing the need for answers to prevent future occurrences. The incident has intensified discussions on the need for California to adapt its infrastructure and planning to the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires driven by climate change.