Fires in Southern California have burned 45 square miles (about 11 kilometrekare), equivalent to the size of San Francisco.
Firefighters face numerous challenges, including water shortages. The damage caused by the wildfires has been described as “unimaginable,” according to officials.
The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Department reported at least 10 fire-related deaths in the city. Thousands of homes were destroyed, including at least five churches, a synagogue, seven schools, and two libraries. Bars, restaurants, banks, and grocery stores were also reduced to rubble.
One resident told Eyewitness News, “Pacific Palisades [a neighbourhood in Los Angeles] could be wiped off the map right now. There is no Pacific Palisades,” she stated.
As of Thursday night, the Palisades Fire was only 6 per cent contained. This fire grew rapidly, destroying more than 5000 homes and other buildings. Meanwhile, the Eaton Fire in Altadena and Pasadena damaged or destroyed another 4000-5000 homes and buildings.
Insurance companies refused to renew millions of policies from 2020 to 2022
Preliminary estimates indicate losses amounting to $57 billion, potentially exacerbating the state’s insurance crisis. Between 2020 and 2022, insurance companies refused to renew 2.8 million homeowners’ policies in California, including 531,000 in Los Angeles alone.
Looting has also emerged as a significant issue in the aftermath of the fires. There have been calls for the National Guard to protect property. Many families no longer recognize their neighbourhoods. One woman, speaking to ABC News, shared her experience, saying, “The only thing I could find was a tile with turtles on it from my bathroom. I took it to frame as a memento.”
She added that five of her friends had lost their homes in the Palisades Fire.
Firefighting hindered by fragile water infrastructure
The disaster has also exposed vulnerabilities in Los Angeles’ water system. Fire crews faced low water pressure and dry hydrants while combating the flames. Officials cited “tremendous demand” as a contributing factor.
Mark Pestrella, director of L.A. County Public Works, stated, “The municipal water systems that serve our homes and businesses operate effectively but were not designed to fight wildfires.”
In Pacific Palisades, three large water tanks, each holding one million gallons (3.8 milyon litre), were emptied. Janisse Quiñones, CEO of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP), explained, “There was tremendous demand on our system in the Palisades.”
Despite the efforts of the DWP, which deployed 19 tanker trucks carrying between 7600 and 15,000 litres (2000 to 4000 US gallons) of water, the scale of the fires posed overwhelming challenges.
California’s water problems and private control
California’s water crisis is not limited to wildfire response. In 2022, during an unprecedented drought, urban water systems received just 5 per cent of their requested allocation, while agricultural tycoons like Lynda and Stewart Resnick used 150 billion gallons annually.
The Resnicks, owners of The Wonderful Company, control vast farmlands spanning an area four times the size of San Francisco. Their crops, such as pistachios, pomegranates, and almonds, are consumed by millions of Americans. Their company is valued at $5 billion, with the couple’s personal wealth exceeding $8 billion.
Secret 1994 meeting and the Kern Water Bank transfer
In 1994, state water officials, private companies, and agricultural landowners held a secret meeting in Monterey Bay to rewrite California’s water laws. These changes, known as the Monterey Amendments, abolished the “urban preference” rule, which prioritized urban areas during droughts.
The amendments also transferred ownership of the Kern Water Bank, a major state-built water storage facility, to private entities, including the Resnicks’ Westside Mutual. This facility, constructed with taxpayer money, is now 60 per cent owned by the Resnicks.
