LA Fire Crews Were Unprepared for Overwhelming Fires

Firefighters are still working to contain deadly wildfires raging around Los Angeles. And it’s become clear that fire protection officials were not prepared for the scale and strength of these fires. Now, the question becomes why? 

The answer is complex. But some factors are certain. LA County’s 29 fire crews were overwhelmed by four major, fast-moving fires burning at once. Fire hydrants ran dry. And desert winds up to 100 mph made containment very hard. 

“The LA County Fire Department was prepared for one or two major brush fires, but not four,” County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone told reporters. Maronne said powerful winds were a challenge too.

Fire hydrants ran dry for a number of reasons, officials said. The water system couldn't handle hours upon hours of non-stop demand. This lowered water pressure. There were power outages, too. These hindered pumping stations from sending water to hydrants. Intense demand also dried up storage tanks. Some of these tanks were around the Pacific Palisades. Plus, the 117-million-gallon Santa Ynez Reservoir complex was down for repairs. It's a key backup water reservoir.

Republican politicians have sharply criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom for the response to the fires. President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance are among this group. Newsom, for his part, has spoken against such rebukes. Newsom said Trump is politicizing a tragic event. Despite this, Newsom has ordered an investigation. It'll look into the causes behind the loss of water pressure to fire hydrants. “We need answers to ensure this does not happen again,” Newsom said.  

Roughly 14,000 firefighters are still fighting the blazes. The fires have killed at least 24 people. Canada has sent firefighters to assist California-based crews. So has Mexico. 

Reflect: What do you think are the most important steps communities can take to be better prepared for emergencies like natural disasters?