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OAN Staff Blake Wolf
5:32 PM – Friday, January 10, 2025
California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Friday that he directed state water and firefighting officials to undergo an independent investigation into the loss of water pressure to fire hydrants during the destructive series of wildfires in Los Angeles County this week.
“I am calling for an independent investigation into the loss of water pressure to local fire hydrants and the reported unavailability of water supplies from the Santa Ynez Reservoir. We need answers to ensure this does not happen again and we have every resource available to fight these catastrophic fires,” Newsom wrote in an X post.
Newsom’s post was accompanied by a letter sent to Los Angeles Department of Water and Power CEO Janisse Quiñones, along with the Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella.
“The ongoing reports of the loss of water pressure to some local fire hydrants during the fires and the reported unavailability of water supplies from the Santa Ynez Reservoir are deeply troubling to me and the community. While water supplies from local fire hydrants are not designed to extinguish wildfires over large areas, losing supplies from fire hydrants likely impaired the effort to project some homes and evacuation corridors,” Newsom wrote.
“We need answers to how that happened. Therefore, I have directed state water and fire-fighting officials to prepare an independent after-incident report examining the causes of lost water supply and water pressure in municipal water systems during the fire events, and to identify measures that local governments can implement to provide adequate water supply for emergency response during future catastrophic events,” he continued.
Newsom went on to request that the LADWP and L.A. County officials “swiftly prepare a comprehensive review examining their local preparation and response procedures to ensure available water supply for emergencies, and document any causes of the loss of water pressure and unavailability of water supplies.”
GOP leaders, including President-elect Donald Trump, slammed Newsom for refusing to take preventative measures to ensure wildfires would not break out to catastrophic levels, which is clearly now taking place in Los Angeles County and surrounding areas as it suffers the most devastating series of fires it has ever seen.
“Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
“One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground. It’s ashes, and Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!” Trump added.
The wildfires continue to rage on, killing at least 10 and burning over 35,000 acres across LA County.
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