LA firefighters running out of water as 30,000 evacuated from homes

Firefighters battling the massive wildfires across Los Angeles are warning of severe shortages of water and supplies, hindering their efforts to contain the flames that have already forced tens of thousands to evacuate.

Over 30,000 residents are under mandatory evacuation orders, with warnings expanding to include Malibu and Calabasas. Some evacuees have fled on foot, leaving their vehicles behind as traffic jams block escape routes, per the Daily Mail. Three major fires have broken out in Pacific Palisades, Eaton Canyon, and Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley, burning thousands of acres since Tuesday.

Internal communications from firefighters on the ground reveal critical shortages of water, with one saying over the radio, “The hydrants are down,” and another adding, “Water supply just dropped,” according to The Los Angeles Times. On Wednesday morning, Janisse Quiñones, chief executive of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, confirmed hydrants in the Palisades area “went dry.”

“We had a tremendous demand on our system in the Palisades. We pushed the system to the extreme,” Quiñones said. “Four times the normal demand was seen for 15 hours straight, which lowered our water pressure.”

Rick Caruso, who lost against Bass in the 2022 mayoral election, said "There’s no water in the Palisades. There’s no water coming out of the fire hydrants."

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone reported that the Palisades and Eaton fires remain zero percent contained. Regarding the Palisades fire, Marrone estimated that 1,000 structures have been destroyed and over 5,000 acres have been burned. 

"We have over 2,000 acres burning at this time and the fire continues to grow with zero percent containment. We have over 500 personnel assigned and unfortunately, we have two reported fatalities to civilians, unknown cause at this time, and we do have a number of significant injuries,” Marrone said in regard to the Eaton fire.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a statewide emergency in response to the fires. President Joe Biden, after being briefed on the situation, announced that FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant to support firefighting efforts. This comes as the Los Angeles Fire Department has had to request that any off-duty officers assist them in their efforts to help combat the fires.

“My Administration will do everything it can to support the response. I urge the residents of the Pacific Palisades and the surrounding areas of Los Angeles to stay vigilant and listen to local officials,” the president said.