Los Angeles’s firefighting infrastructure has been put to the test by the speed and ferocity of the fires that have swept through the city this week, raising concerns and criticism about readiness.
Hydrants went dry in the Pacific Palisades area as it was destroyed by one of the region’s five major fires, while water shortages significantly impeded operations elsewhere.
In a letter to the leaders of the Los Angeles County Public Works and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, California Governor Gavin Newsom stated, “We need answers to how that happened.”
Newsom urged state authorities to draft an independent assessment on the reasons behind the water shortage and water pressure, calling them “deeply troubling.”
A portion of the issue, according to Chris Sheach, assistant professor of disaster management at Paul Smith’s College in New York state, is that the city’s firefighting infrastructure wasn’t built for massive multi-acre fires, AFP said.
He stated that the quantity of water required to put out a fire that is consuming thousands of acres is very different than that required for a single building.
Resources required
Janisse Quinones, CEO and main engineer at the city’s water department, told the New York Times that early firefighting efforts resulted in four times the typical demand for water over around 15 hours.
Aside from that, Kristin Crowley, the fire chief of Los Angeles, has stated that a lack of resources hinders her city.
Over the last three years, I have made it quite evident that the fire department requires assistance. She told CNN on Friday, “We can no longer sustain where we are,” outlining the need for additional personnel, funds, and resources.
According to her, this included the requirement for 62 more fire stations due to a 55% rise in the number of calls since 2010.
In a series of broadsides devoid of supporting evidence, US president-elect Donald Trump, who will return to the White House in less than a week, has taken advantage of the drama to bash Democrats and accuse Governor Newsom of a number of shortcomings.
Environmentalists’ efforts to save the smelt, a tiny fish that lives hundreds of miles away from the fires, have even been blamed by him for the scarcity of water.
“Risk-reward judgment”
According to California’s fire department, the flames have damaged almost 10,000 buildings so far, and 11 people have been killed, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office.
“Some of the world’s best firefighters are those from California.”
They do this so frequently because “it’s their reality,” Sheach added, adding that they were more trained than in most other areas. In what ways might a city such as Los Angeles improve its readiness for the future?
“Politicians must collaborate with their communities to make those decisions because what is best for each community will depend on how much they are willing to pay,” Sheach stated.
He clarified that lowering risk entails paying more money.
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