Victims Sue LA Department of Water and Power Over Palisades Fire

Pacific Palisades: Residents are really upset and have decided to sue the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. This comes after the Palisades Fire burned over 20,000 acres, destroyed thousands of homes, and sadly took at least 8 lives.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, claims that the DWP mismanaged the water supply in the area. This left firefighters struggling to put out the fire effectively.

Things got serious on January 1 when the Lochman Fire broke out. Firefighters quickly contained it, but then on January 7, smoke was spotted again. A local resident, Michel Valentine, noticed the smoke and called 911, but he got a busy signal.

As the fire spread, it quickly grew from 200 acres to nearly 3,000 acres by the evening. Evacuation orders were issued, and the fire reached the heart of Pacific Palisades.

The lawsuit highlights that the Santa Ynez Reservoir, a major water source, had been empty for almost a year. Attorneys argue that the DWP didn’t fix the reservoir cover in time, which they say was a cost-saving move.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has called for an independent investigation into the empty reservoir, expressing that the situation is “deeply troubling.”