Empty Fire Hydrants Force Evacuation as DWP Water Tanks Run Dry at 3 a.m. Wednesday
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s three main water tanks serving Pacific Palisades emptied by 3 a.m. Wednesday, leaving firefighters without crucial hydrant access as wildfires threatened the affluent coastal neighborhood. California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered an independent investigation Friday into the DWP, which serves 4 million residents after firefighters reported widespread hydrant failures during critical evacuation efforts. The Palisades Fire remained only 11% contained Saturday morning, with high winds and infrastructure limitations continuing to challenge emergency response teams.
5 Key Points
- DWP’s Pacific Palisades water system faced 400% regular demand for 15 consecutive hours before failing.
- Three primary water tanks serving Pacific Palisades were depleted entirely by 3 a.m. Wednesday.
- Civilian drone collision with Super Scooper aircraft Thursday halted aerial firefighting operations.
- Governor Newsom launched a DWP investigation Friday amid political controversy over water management.
- Fire hydrant failures directly impacted home protection and resident evacuation routes.
Pacific Palisades Water System Collapses Under Unprecedented Demand
The Pacific Palisades neighborhood’s water infrastructure hit critical failure at 3 a.m. Wednesday, when all three main supply tanks ran dry after 15 hours of emergency operations. LADWP Chief Engineer Janisse Quiñones detailed how water demand reached four times standard capacity—roughly 1.8 million gallons per hour—as firefighters attempted to protect homes and maintain evacuation corridors. The system collapse left multiple streets without functioning hydrants, forcing fire crews to rely on water tanker trucks for structure protection. “Our water pressure dropped below operational levels across significant portions of the Pacific Palisades grid,” Quiñones explained, noting that ongoing firefighting needs hampered recovery efforts.
Emergency Response Complicated by Multiple Infrastructure Limitations
Los Angeles Fire Department crews faced compounding challenges beyond water system failures. Fire Department spokesperson Erik Scott confirmed that a civilian drone struck a Super Scooper aircraft Thursday, temporarily grounding aerial firefighting operations across the region. High winds reaching 45 mph prevented alternative aerial water drops near residential areas due to structural damage risks. Former DWP General Manager Marty Adams emphasized the unprecedented nature of the crisis, telling The New York Times: “We are looking at a situation that is just completely not part of any domestic water system design.” The fire’s rapid spread overwhelmed traditional urban firefighting infrastructure, which typically handles individual structure fires rather than widespread urban conflagrations.
Water Experts Highlight Systemic Vulnerabilities in Urban Fire Defense
Faith Kearns, water and wildfire specialist at Arizona State University’s Global Futures Laboratory, traced similar hydrant failures during recent wildfires in Maui, Colorado, and Oregon. “Our urban water supply is meant to deal more with things like a single house being on fire,” Kearns explained, noting that current infrastructure cannot sustain the water pressure needed for multiple simultaneous firefighting operations. The Pacific Palisades system’s collapse exemplifies a broader vulnerability: municipal water networks designed decades ago cannot match the intensity of modern climate-driven wildfires. Kearns emphasized that effective solutions would require “high-volume pipes and more backup power to pump waters to higher elevations”—infrastructure upgrades that could cost billions across California’s fire-prone regions.
Political Battle Erupts Over Water Management as Investigation Launches
Governor Newsom’s Friday order for an independent investigation into the DWP came amid escalating political tension over California’s water management policies. “While water supplies from local fire hydrants are not designed to extinguish wildfires over large areas, losing supplies from fire hydrants likely impaired the effort to protect some homes and evacuation corridors,” Newsom stated, addressing criticism of the state’s emergency response capabilities. During a Friday briefing with President Biden, the governor highlighted what he called “hurricane-force winds of mis and disinformation” surrounding the crisis. The investigation will examine both immediate causes of the Pacific Palisades water system failure and broader questions about urban infrastructure resilience in an era of increasing wildfire threats.
FAQ
Q: What caused the fire hydrants in Pacific Palisades to run dry?
A: The three main water tanks serving Pacific Palisades were depleted after 15 hours of emergency operations that demanded four times the typical water capacity (approximately 1.8 million gallons per hour).
Q: How many residents are served by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power?
A: The LADWP serves more than four million Los Angeles residents, including the Pacific Palisades area, where the water system failed.
Q: Why can’t urban water systems handle large-scale wildfires?
A: Urban water systems are designed primarily for individual structure fires, not multiple simultaneous wildfires. They lack the high-volume pipes and backup power needed to maintain pressure for extensive wildfire operations.
Q: What stopped aerial firefighting operations?
A: On Thursday, a civilian drone collision with a Super Scooper aircraft temporarily halted aerial firefighting operations. High winds reaching 45 mph also prevented some aerial water drops due to structural damage risks.
Q: How contained was the Palisades Fire?
A: As of Saturday morning, the Palisades Fire was only 11% contained, with firefighting efforts hampered by water system failures, high winds, and aerial operation limitations.
Q: What changes are needed to prevent future water system failures during wildfires?
A: According to expert Faith Kearns, cities need high-volume pipes, more backup power for pumping water to higher elevations, and significant infrastructure upgrades to handle climate-driven urban wildfires.
Citations
Saric, I., Floyd, L. (January 11, 2025). Why Los Angeles fire hydrants ran dry as wildfires ravaged the area. Axios. https://www.axios.com/2025/01/11/fire-hydrants-dry-wildfires-los-angeles
