A Los Angeles area anchor attempted to debunk the claim that attempts to fight the wildfires plaguing the country’s second largest city are being impeded by a water shortage mere seconds before an on-the-ground reporter confirmed the same claim on Wednesday.
On Fox 11 Los Angeles, anchor Melvin Robert noted that former LA mayoral candidate Rick Caruso — the moderate alternative to progressive Karen Bass — had been critical of the way that Bass and other authorities had responded to the fires before playing a clip of Caruso.
“Real issue to me is twofold. We’ve had decades to go to remove the brush in these hills that spread so quickly. And the second is you’ve got to have water. And my understanding is the reservoir was not refilled in time and in a timely manner to keep the hydrants going,” said Caruso. “So that’s a failure whether on DWP’s part or another city agency. But this is basic stuff, this isn’t high science here. And it’s all about leadership and management that we’re seeing a failure of. And all of these residents are paying the ultimate price for that.”
“Despite what you have heard from Caruso, no firefighters have told us that they are running out of water,” declared Robert after the clip concluded.
Unfortunately for him, the show immediately cut to reporter Gigi Graciette, who was covering the fire from Pacific Palisades.
“Well, firefighters have told me they have no water on this block. And you may be able to make out the ember storm that we’re in the middle of right now. This house is going to be a total loss. They have no water to put on this fire. They are standing by because they’re trying to save the home that is next to it,” began Graciette. “That home is going to be a total loss. Firefighters here telling me they have no water. Why? They don’t know. They’ve heard that there may be broken mains. They may be broken pipes. They don’t know, but what they’ve been doing to save the house next to it is actually putting-, pulling water from the swimming pool.”
“They’ve been here so long. They hate to see what they’re seeing right now, but they have no resources to put on this fire other than pool water which they’ve been using to save the house next door,” she observed again.
“It looks like they have a hose in their hand. Some of these hoses we’re told are connected to the swimming pool next door. But again, water has been a huge issue, firefighters on the scene confirming that to me here as we watch this home,” said Graciette.
Watch above via Fox 11 Los Angeles.
