California Governor Gavin Newsom He called for an independent investigation into the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) after firefighters encountered a nightmare situation: fire hydrants that ran out of water.
“From the moment the firestorms ripped through Los Angeles County on Tuesday, January 7, it was clear that our public infrastructure would be under tremendous strain,” he said in a Friday letter to LADWP.
Newsom called the discovery “deeply troubling” and said the loss of power to hydrants as the fire swept through Los Angeles homes “will likely impair” recovery efforts.
“Continuing reports of loss of water pressure for some Local fire hydrants “During fires and reports of unavailability of water supplies from the Santa Ynez Reservoir is very concerning to me and the community,” he said. “While water supplies from local fire hydrants are not designed to extinguish wildfires over large areas, the loss of supplies from hydrants is likely “Firefighting has hampered efforts to protect some homes and evacuation routes.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass speaks with California Governor Gavin Newsom while surveying damage during the Palisades Fire on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, in Pacific Palisades, California. (Jeff Gretchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)
The California governor said “we need answers” and that he directed officials to prepare for an independent report after the incident that would focus on determining the causes of the loss of water supplies. And water pressure.
“We need answers about how this happened. Therefore, I directed state water and fire officials to prepare an independent post-incident report examining the causes of loss of water supply and water pressure in municipal water systems during fire events, and identify necessary measures. Local governments can implement them to provide water supply,” he said. Sufficient water for emergency response during future catastrophic events.
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“I am asking LADWP and Los Angeles County officials to quickly prepare a comprehensive review to examine their local preparation and response procedures to ensure emergency water supplies are available, and to document any causes of loss of water pressure and unavailability of water supplies.”
A firefighter ties a ribbon to a fire hydrant near damaged structures burned by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, US, January 10, 2025. (Ringo Chiu/Reuters)
Newsom's directive came next Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass He said Thursday that up to 20% of the city's taps had run dry. She said that as of Thursday, firefighters had completely stopped tapping hydrants.
LADWP initially was pumping aqueducts and groundwater into the system, but demand was so high that there wasn't enough to refill three million-gallon tanks in the mountainous Pacific Palisades that help pressurize taps.
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Much of it dried up as at least 10,000 homes and buildings caught fire.
