LOS ANGELES, CA – California Governor Gavin Newsom has called for an independent investigation into the water supply challenges faced during the Palisades Fire, citing reports of critical water pressure losses in fire hydrants and inadequate access to water resources from the Santa Ynez Reservoir.
In a letter addressed to Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) Chief Executive Officer Janisse Quiñones and Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella, Newsom expressed concern over the failures that hampered firefighting efforts during the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles history.
“The ongoing reports of 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 wrote. “We need answers to how that happened.”
NEW: While overall water supply in Southern California is not an issue, water mobility in the initial response was an issue.
That is why @CAGovernor Newsom has ordered a full, independent review of LADWP.
This cannot happen again. pic.twitter.com/c44wb8Wt1W
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 10, 2025
The governor emphasized the need for transparency and accountability, requesting state water and fire officials to conduct an independent investigation into the causes of the failures. He pledged state resources and technical expertise to assist local agencies in addressing the challenges and preventing similar issues in the future.
The Palisades Fire, which erupted Tuesday and has since destroyed thousands of homes and businesses across 20,438 acres, placed unprecedented demand on the region’s water infrastructure. According to LADWP’s Quiñones, the fire’s demands overwhelmed the system.
“At 3 a.m. on Jan. 8, all three 1-million-gallon water storage tanks supplying the Palisades hydrants were dry,” Quiñones said during a Wednesday news conference. She added that one tank was depleted by late Tuesday afternoon, the second by 9 p.m., and the third by early Wednesday morning.
“We had tremendous demand on our systems in the Palisades,” Quiñones explained. “Four times the normal demand was seen for 15 hours straight, which lowered our water pressure.”
Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Erik Scott confirmed the challenges firefighters faced due to the lack of water in higher elevation areas. While LADWP had proactively filled storage tanks before the fire, the extreme demand and slow refill rates left key hydrants with insufficient pressure during critical firefighting operations.
In his letter, Newsom urged LADWP and L.A. County officials to prepare a thorough review of their local preparations and response procedures, specifically addressing water infrastructure and supply chain vulnerabilities. He stressed the importance of learning from this event to improve resilience in the face of future disasters.
“This is a tragedy we must learn from,” Newsom stated, adding that he expects prompt and detailed findings from the investigation.
The Palisades Fire remains only 8% contained as of Friday morning. Fire officials continue to grapple with challenging terrain and residual high winds while working to protect remaining structures and prevent further spread.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
