While the devastating fires continue in Los Angeles, discussions about “insufficient water” in the reservoirs expected to be used in interventions remain on the agenda. Anadolu Agency viewed those reservoirs.
The closure of the Santa Ynez Reservoir, which has a capacity of approximately 117 million gallons of water and is critical to the city’s water infrastructure when the forest fires started, increased the difficulties experienced in fighting the fire.
While water resources in the region are of great importance for firefighting efforts, the empty reservoirs drawn by AA have revealed the water shortage that has been discussed in recent days.
In Los Angeles, where forest fires frequently break out especially during hot and dry seasons, the revelation that Mayor Karen Bass cut the fire department’s budget by $17.6 million in July 2024 was another important criticism that deepened the problems with water resources.
However, neither the LADWP nor California Governor Gavin Newsom’s statements that water is sufficient to fight the fire have been able to prevent criticism.
At the same time, Newsom and Bass were accused of “preparing the ground for one of the city’s worst disasters.”
More than 12,000 structures have been damaged or rendered unusable.
Evacuation orders have been issued for approximately 150,000 people, and 24 people have died in the fires.
