California Gov. Gavin Newsom demanded an independent investigation into the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power after fire hydrants went dry during the devastating fires.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered an independent investigation into how the loss of water left dry fire hydrants and hindered firefighting efforts in Los Angeles.

Other fires, like the 2023 Maui fires and the 2017 Tubbs Fire in Northern California, have caused hydrants to go dry in the past, and it seems L.A. will need to go back to the drawing board if these kinds of wildfire-scale urban blazes become the new normal.

As wildfires roar into residential neighborhoods, firefighters in California and elsewhere are finding that water systems can’t keep up with the demand.

Indeed, as wildfires become increasingly common in urban areas such as Boulder, Colorado and Lahaina, Hawaii, public water systems are often unable to meet the demand of fighting these large fires. Human-caused climate change is making it worse, experts say.

Fire hydrants ran dry in Los Angeles just when they were needed most to fight one of the most destructive fires in the city's history.