When the fires finally subsided in LA County, it was historic, for all the wrong reasons. Considered now to be one of the costliest natural disasters, the Palisades and Eaton fires resulted in a $275 Billion dollars loss, displaced more than 150,000 people, impacted 15,000 structures, and left at least 28 people dead.
But what if it could have all been avoided?
In early February, the FIRESCOPE Board of Directors met in Pasadena, CA to develop an urban wildfire strategy for the next 50 years. The goal: to prioritize preparedness and response to prevent this calamity from repeating itself – both in their state and elsewhere.
FIRESCOPE is a statewide program across California with representation from all facets of local, rural, and metropolitan fire departments, including the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), the State Fire Marshal (SFM) and federal fire agencies.
One solution rose to the top: More water, delivered earlier, continuously, and on demand, can make a huge difference.
California's wildfire building code, implemented in 2008, has proven effective in significantly reducing structure loss during wildfires by mandating fire-resistant building materials and design features. However, older communities built before these codes remain highly vulnerable, relying on inadequate public protection systems like hydrants that are designed for contained structural fires, not widespread wildfires.
An infrastructure built and sized for the public population, not wildfire, means limited water volume. And while firefighters did an excellent job of prepositioning their equipment in advance –catching 48 fires in 48 hours leading up to the Palisades and Eaton fires – water was the issue as hydrants were unable to keep up with the demand. In fact, just under 4 million gallons were applied by aerial resources to fight the LA County fires.
The United Aerial Firefighters Association and National Wildfire Suppression Association, and others have called on Congress for support. But help is here now. Innovation in water supply has arrived.
The way wildfires are fought has not changed much in recent decades. Aerial aircraft, improved engines, hose technology have helped, but a large percentage of their utilization is dedicated to transporting water rather than applying it. Now mobile pipeline systems can be prepositioned in high-risk communities, supporting those fighting the fire on the ground and in the air. These systems provide critical water - in the millions of gallons - without interruption. No need to stop and reload. The pumps keep the water coming. And that water is coming from the same current sources that exist today, only without limits imposed by the traditional distribution system, and therefore providing water volume the fire requires.
Continuous water frees-up tenders, tankers, and helicopters, and crews, allowing these resources to be more productive, applying more water strategically to critical areas.
Helo dip sites can be strategically located closer to the fire. Lay-flat hoses as large as 16-inches in diameter can bring up to 8,000 gallons per minute and supply water cannons capable of providing a full protective water perimeter around and through communities. In the highest risk areas, this system can be “pre-plumbed” – ready when a fire sparks. The system can cast water high into the air and wind to mitigate ember showers, which was the true fuel that propelled the LA County fires.
UAFA has issued a letter to Congress outlining the benefits of such a system. But funding is needed at the community, county, state, and federal level to help ensure communities built before 2008 have the protection in place before it is needed. While nothing can stop a force of nature, an adequate supply of water – continuous and uninterrupted – is imperative to saving lives and structures.
If we have learned nothing from the LA County disaster, it is this. The price of not fighting wildfires differently is simply too costly.
Image Source: Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images