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The fire hydrant system is old and was not configured for fighting a major wildfire over thousands of acres. I'd like to know what city has fire hydrants set up for that? None that I know of.
And yet, that is exactly what folks were doing in the hopes that it would keep their house from catching fire. Kind of the tragedy of the commons, though I can't blame folks for trying to save what is likely their most significant asset.
Just saw a video of firefighters saving a horse. Amazing that with all they are dealing with they took time to save an innocent animal.
Canada has hundreds of firefighters and other resources ready to deploy to California to help.
Ontario ready to deploy more than 150 firefighters to California, Ford calls situation 'devastating'
More than 150 Ontario firefighters are standing by and ready to be deployed to California as the state battles unprecedented wildfires, which have displaced more than 100,000 residents and left five people dead.toronto.ctvnews.ca
Alberta to send helicopters, water bombers to help fight Los Angeles wildfires, says premier
Alberta will join several other Canadian provinces that have stepped up to help battle the raging wildfires in Los Angeles, California.calgaryherald.com
The help is appreciated, but understand these are reciprocal aid agreements. I saw a tweet yesterday from the President of the Navajo Nation as their 23-member team of Navajo Scouts elite wildland firefighters heading to LA to assist and I know Oregon & Washington have sent firefighting teams & machinery as well.Thank you, Canada.
One minor correction - Pacific Palisades is not a separate city and votes in the LA City Council & Mayoral elections. Altadena & Pasadena are, though, separate cities.Article: "Why Hydrants Ran Dry As Firefighters Battled California's Deadly Fires"
The main point seems to be that many local water systems aren't designed to battle fires that consume a community over a long period of time. Add to that weather that grounds water dropping aircraft, loss of power, and other logistical issues and it becomes even more complicated. One example in the article is a fire crew that had to be evacuated as they were executing their backup plan for water tankers. While a lot of people think of LA as a monolith, Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and Pasadena are all separate cities with separate leadership, utility companies, infrastructure, etc. and each one faced similar issues.
Why hydrants ran dry as firefighters battled California's deadly fires
Firefighters in Pacific Palisades and Altadena have repeatedly been hampered by low water pressure and dry hydrants, revealing limitations in local water systems designed to supply neighborhoods.www.yahoo.com
The City of Los Angeles is a bit of a patchwork, irregular jigsaw puzzle. Google Maps shows this off, but I didn't realize the extent to which it was a patchwork until ANL's comment, which made me curious, so I looked it up.
Holy crap. So, earlier today, LAFD Chief, Kristin Crowley, threw others in the city (Department of Water & Power - DWP) under the bus and now the Daily Mail is reporting that Karen Bass has fired Crowley.
LA Mayor Karen Bass dismisses fire chief Kristin Crowley
Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley was fired by Mayor Karen Bass just hours after delivering a scathing public critique of the city's leadership, accusing it of underfunding and failing its fire dept.www.dailymail.co.uk
Holy crap. So, earlier today, LAFD Chief, Kristin Crowley, threw others in the city (Department of Water & Power - DWP) under the bus and now the Daily Mail is reporting that Karen Bass has fired Crowley.
LA Mayor Karen Bass dismisses fire chief Kristin Crowley
Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley was fired by Mayor Karen Bass just hours after delivering a scathing public critique of the city's leadership, accusing it of underfunding and failing its fire dept.
I mean, the rumor isn't true until it is true.
I don't think she doesn't really know how the water gets to the fire hydrant. She was making sure it was clear that HER responsibility is not to get the water to the fire hydrants and that she had NOT been informed of the reservoir cover repairs, etc. On a general or abstract level she, like all of us, probably knows how the water gets to the hydrants - the water pipes are filled by the water tanks which are filled by the reservoir. Beyond that, it's outside her scope of responsibility to know how the water gets where it needs to be. Furthermore, she had an expectation, not unreasonable IMO, that if the reservoir, tanks, pipes or hydrants were under repair that she would be included in that information loop - which she was not.
CNN's Erin Burnett flew over the Palisades Fire disaster area with a helicopter pilot (at 2:35 they talk about/show the Getty Villa museum & grounds and you can see the devastation around it) - 8-minute video:Inside the dash to save the Getty Villa from the Palisades fire: a timeline - LA Times article by Jessica Gelt (Jan. 9): https://www.latimes.com/entertainme...-save-the-getty-villa-from-the-palisades-fire
Alternate link:
Inside the dash to save the Getty Villa from the Palisades fire: a timeline
The Getty Villa activated its emergency operations center at 10:40 a.m. Tuesday, and within two hours, the fast-moving blaze had reached the grounds. Here's how the staff, museum and precious art were kept safe.
I lived in the San Diego area for a couple of years in the mid-80s when I was in the Navy. My weather memory is morning fog/smog burn off by noonish, sun, 70s. With a couple Santa Ana winds from Hell. I seriously do not remember a whole lot of rain.
One of my favorite museums ever. They basically had their staff act as private firefighters. Glad they saved it.
Here in Michigan December/January is the grey gloom. Sun is rarely seen.
