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A large reservoir in Pacific Palisades that is part of the Los Angeles water supply system was out of commission when a ferocious wildfire destroyed thousands of homes and other structures nearby, the Los Angeles Times found.
Officials said that the Santa Ynez Reservoir had been closed since about February for repairs to its cover, leaving a 117-million-gallon water storage complex empty in the heart of the Palisades for nearly a year.
The revelation comes amid growing questions about why firefighters ran out of water while battling the blaze, which ignited Tuesday during catastrophically high winds. The Times reported early Wednesday that numerous fire hydrants in higher-elevation streets of the Palisades went dry, leaving crews struggling with low water pressure as they combated the flames.
Отсюда
Противопожарный пруд в Пацифик Палисейд, где был эпицентр пожра, оказался пуст. Сейчас выясняют, почему он уже почти год стоит пустой. Его должны были ремонтировать, но за год так и не отемонтировали. Тянулась бюрократическая волокита. Только в ноябре подписали контракт на ремонт.