First responders work hard to fight the devastating Wildfires in Los Angeleswhile many members of the public wonder what could have caused the fires and whether policy missteps hindered firefighting efforts. Kathryn Sorensen, who ran water and wastewater utilities for two major Arizona cities, says there are key facts about our water system that need to be understood.
“City water systems are really not designed to fight large-scale wildfires,” Sorensen told Fox News. “They are designed with sufficient storage space to meet the requirements under normal operating conditions and to fight a few relatively localized building fires of relatively short duration.”
Sorensen acknowledged that there are valid debates about the capacity of our current water systems and how they are being used.
“If we’re looking at a warmer, drier future, then we probably need to look at these reservoirs, their capacities, their operational priorities, how we move that water and for what purpose, and rethink that.”
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The sun rises over homes destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
The Santa Ynez Reservoir, located near the Palisades Fire, was discovered to have been empty since February 2024 and became the focus of a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). The lawsuit accused LADWP of delaying reservoir repairs to cut costs, according to a Reuters report.
In a statement, LADWP said it closed the reservoir to “satisfy safe drinking water regulations” and blamed the city’s “time-consuming competitive bidding process” for repair delays. In addition, the agency said it would conduct its own investigation.
“LADWP built the Pacific Palisades water system beyond requirements to support typical community needs,” LADWP wrote in a statement. “As we face the impacts of climate change and build climate resilience, we welcome the review and update of these codes and requirements if urban water systems are to be used to combat extreme forest fires.”
Burnt buildings lie in ruins in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood as smoke from the Palisades fire rises in the background in Los Angeles on January 10, 2025. (REUTERS/Mike Blake)
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When discussing the main reservoir at the center of the controversy, Sorensen expressed doubt that “even if it was filled, it would be unlikely to reverse the flow.” She also believes that “the ladder forest fire likely to flood the system even with full Santa Ynez Reservoir.
“Now, it’s possible — I don’t know if we have all the facts yet — it’s possible that the Santa Ynez Reservoir was full, could have provided additional water pressure in these pressure zones on the slopes, and could have made a difference to one or more structures, homes or businesses,” Sorensen said.
While that might have made a difference at individual levels, it probably wouldn’t have made a difference for the “whole neighborhood,” according to Sorensen.
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An aerial view of beachside homes destroyed by the Palisades Fire along the Pacific Coast Highway as wildfires cause damage and loss across the LA region on January 16, 2025 in Malibu, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
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On Friday morning, Cal Fire reported that more than 40,600 hectares had burned and more than 12,300 structures had been destroyed by the fires. At least 27 people have been confirmed dead in the fire, although that number could rise as dozens are still missing.
