Reservoir in worst fire-ravaged area of LA had been drained for repairs when blaze erupted
A major reservoir in the area being
ravaged by the worst wildfire in Los Angeles history had been drained and closed for repairs when the deadly blaze broke out this week, a report said Friday.
The troubling news surfaced two days after firefighters in the Pacific Palisades region
ran out of water from local hydrants because of low water pressure — as flames raged in full force.
The 117-million-gallon Santa Ynez Reservoir was undergoing fixes to its torn cover when the historic horrific Palisades Fire broke out in the tony enclave in Los Angeles County on Tuesday,
the LA Times said.
A rep for the city’s Department of Water and Power told the outlet that the loss of the reservoir’s supply likely added to the devastating pressure issues but that the fix was necessary to comply with regulations.
“The system was never designed for a wildfire scenario that we are experiencing,’’ the representative added.
Former DWP General Manager Martin Adams told the LA Times that even if the reservoir had been up and running,
it likely wouldn’t have solved the overall pressure problem.
“Would Santa Ynez [Reservoir] have helped? Yes, to some extent,’’ he said. “Would it have saved the day? I don’t think so.”
Even if the department had heeded a recent extreme-winds warning and started filling up the reservoir again over the weekend just in case of a blaze, the structure may not have filled up with enough water fast enough anyway, Adams claimed.
“They would have been betting that there would be a fire that wipes out the whole neighborhood, which of course, no one has ever seen before,” he said.
“It would have been a strange bet.”
But residents and business owners — among thousands who’ve lost their homes and livelihoods — have been furious at officials from California Gov. Gavin Newsom to LA Mayor Karen Bass for the situation.
nypost.com
