Why Was the Pacific Palisades Reservoir Offline Prior to the Wildfires That Engulfed the Community? It Was Empty When Firestorm Exploded…

by Matt Hamilton at Los Angeles Times

fA large reservoir in Pacific Palisades that is part of the Los Angeles water supply system was out of use when a ferocious wildfire destroyed thousands of homes and other structures nearby, the Los Angeles Times found.

Officials said that the Santa Ynez Reservoir had been closed for repairs to its cover, leaving a 117 million gallon water storage complex empty in the heart of the Palisades.

The revelation comes among growing questions about why firefighters ran out of water while battling the blaze. The Times reported early Wednesday that numerous fire hydrants in higher-elevation streets of the Palisades went dry, leaving firefighters struggling with low water pressure as they combated the flames.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered an independent investigation of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power over the loss of water pressure and empty Santa Ynez Reservoir, calling it “deeply troubling.”

“We need answers to how that happened,”…