Reservoir in Pacific Palisades was not operational when fire broke out

The Santa Ynez reservoir, which was not in service during the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, could have helped maintain water pressure to aid firefighting efforts. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is evaluating the impact of the reservoir’s unavailability on the fire response. Water demand during the fire was four times higher than usual, putting stress on the system. If in service, the reservoir could have been used to split the water system and provide relief to parts of the Pacific Palisades. However, the water infrastructure is not designed to handle such extreme emergencies, as it is meant for typical city fires, not wildfires. Pre-filling the reservoir was deemed impractical, as it would have resulted in nonpotable water that would need to be wasted. The Santa Ynez Reservoir can hold up to 117 million gallons of water, but not all of it would have been available for use in the event of a fire. Overall, the Santa Ynez reservoir could have provided some assistance in maintaining water pressure during the Palisades Fire, but the limitations of the water system and infrastructure meant that it would not have been a solution to the challenges posed by the wildfire.

Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com