Firefighters battling the destructive wildfires in Los Angeles faced severe water shortages, with multiple million-gallon water tanks running out, leaving them ill-equipped to tackle the flames, officials reported on Wednesday.

This revelation comes amid growing concerns from residents about how the wildfires—currently under investigation for their cause—became so uncontrollable, resulting in at least five fatalities and the destruction of around 1,000 homes and other structures.

Janisse Quiñones, CEO of the LA Department of Water and Power, stated during a press briefing, “The demand on our water system was immense. We have reached its limits. The main takeaway today is that I need our customers to conserve water.”

Quiñones specifically noted that Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood west of downtown LA and situated at a higher altitude, suffered the most from the water shortages.

The demand for water in that area surged to four times its normal level for 15 consecutive hours, according to Quiñones, who also serves as the agency’s chief engineer. She mentioned that the three million-gallon tanks in the region ran dry at 4:45 PM, 8:30 PM, and 3 AM, respectively.

Efforts were made to replenish the tanks, but the refilling process was too slow to maintain adequate pressure within the system necessary to supply water to higher elevations, she added.

Evacuated resident questioned: ‘Where was the water?’

As firemen faced empty hoses, people’s homes were engulfed in flames.

Osbee Sangster, a 73-year-old resident, escaped her home in the early hours of Wednesday. While evacuating, she noticed a significant lack of water as fire trucks passed through her neighborhood enforcing evacuations.

“Where was the water?” she asked the YSL News Network from the Pasadena Convention Center, where around 700 displaced individuals and their pets sought refuge.

Sangster feared her home had turned to ashes, although she couldn’t confirm its fate.

Bowen Xie, a spokesperson for the water management agency, stated that all 114 of the city’s water storage tanks had been filled prior to the outbreak of the fires. The agency took action to alleviate the water scarcity by sending out trucks capable of carrying up to 4,000 gallons to assist areas where firefighters struggled with hydrants.

Xie mentioned that seven trucks were deployed at midnight on Wednesday, with an additional 11 trucks dispatched later that morning.

Pasadena City Fire Department Chief Chad Augustin acknowledged the water supply difficulties but downplayed their severity.

“When several city blocks are ablaze… our water system will inevitably be tested,” he remarked at Wednesday’s news conference. “However, I want to be clear; even with more water, the strong winds would have made it incredibly challenging to contain the fire.”

He added that the power outages further exacerbated the water supply issues.

‘We need to reevaluate our system’

Erik Scott, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department, confirmed the water supply challenges.

“We faced some obstacles with water pressure while tackling the Pacific Palisades Fire,” said the captain via X. “The high demand slowed the refilling of tanks, posing difficulties in our firefighting efforts.”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also called on residents to limit their water use.

“We need to ensure we are prepared in case of increased water demands,” she stated during the news conference on Wednesday.

Quiñones remarked that the existing water supply issues may necessitate a fundamental reevaluation of the system, especially given the threat of more severe wildfires exacerbated by climate change-induced drought conditions.

“To address the question about climate resilience and the need for system updates, I can confidently say it’s essential,” she stated. “We must examine how we operate our water systems during events like this.”