Seven months prior to a significant fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, city officials attempted to revive an old reservoir to supplement the water supply while the main Santa Ynez Reservoir was under repair due to a torn cover. Despite efforts, the plan to bring the Pacific Palisades Reservoir back online was aborted due to safety concerns, leaving firefighters with insufficient water when the fire broke out. As fire danger forecasts became evident, the city relied on smaller storage tanks, which quickly ran dry, exacerbating the firefighting challenges. Legal claims have arisen from this incident, with victims accusing the city of mismanaging water supplies, as they were not informed of the potential use of the Pacific Palisades Reservoir. Although repairs at the Santa Ynez site were eventually completed, further leaks delayed its return to service, highlighting ongoing water infrastructure issues in the area.

The city's water managers explored reviving the Pacific Palisades Reservoir as the Santa Ynez Reservoir was offline for repairs, but failed to implement the plan due to safety concerns about structural issues and potential risks to nearby residents.

The Santa Ynez Reservoir, capable of holding tens of millions of gallons, was out of service due to a torn cover, and despite cleaning and preliminary preparations, the Pacific Palisades Reservoir remained inactive when the fire occurred.

Firefighters faced severe water shortages as smaller tanks with limited capacity were quickly depleted during the January fire, and hydrants ran dry, underscoring the critical need for more robust water supply solutions.

Legal teams representing over 750 wildfire victims are pursuing records and accountability from city officials, arguing that the water supply mismanagement contributed significantly to the fire's destruction.

The Pacific Palisades Reservoir, built in 1929 and retired due to quality issues like prolonged water retention and leaks, had been considered a firefighting resource, but was not used during the incident.

Repairs at the Santa Ynez Reservoir were completed, but new leaks delayed its reactivation, illustrating persistent challenges in maintaining reliable water infrastructure to support emergency response efforts.

The situation has raised questions about the city's preparedness and transparency in managing critical resources, with ongoing efforts to address infrastructure deficiencies and restore public confidence.