No water system in the world can handle the Los Angeles fires.
Arab Weather - As the fires continued in Southern California on Friday, and firefighting teams sought to assess the damage and determine the causes of the fires , a pivotal question was raised:
Can this destruction be limited?
Or is this situation part of the new reality in the era of climate-related disasters?
A CNN review of government reports and interviews with experts suggests the answer lies in a combination of factors.
Firstly, the limited capacity of water systems to withstand climate disasters.
Experts say existing water systems, even when fully operational, are ill-equipped to handle fires of this magnitude. Greg Pierce, a water resources expert at the University of California, San Diego, explained:
“I don't know of a water system in the world that is equipped for this kind of event.”
However, fully functioning hydrants could have reduced some damage, such as saving some homes or controlling small fires before they spread.
Secondly.. The impact of severe weather conditions
Local authorities described the fires as a "perfect storm." Hurricane-force winds reached 100 mph, making it impossible to use aircraft to drop water and fire retardant on affected areas.
Experts interviewed by CNN agreed that the combination of strong winds, unseasonably dry conditions, and multiple fires burning in the same geographic area contributed significantly to making widespread devastation inevitable.
Causes of the aggravation of the fire disaster
Experts say inconsistent vegetation management, aging infrastructure, lack of planning, and the way homes were built contributed to the scale of the damage. As a result, the fires burned more than 55 square miles, destroyed thousands of buildings, and killed at least 10 people.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has pledged a full investigation. She said in a statement:
“Rest assured...we will certainly conduct an evaluation to look at what worked and what did not, and to correct or hold accountable any person, department or individual.”
These events demonstrate the urgent need to rethink urban planning and fire systems to reduce the impact of climate disasters, as well as to enhance preparedness for such disasters in the future.
See also:
16 dead, billions in damage as Los Angeles fires continue
Why are California fires getting worse and more intense year after year?
Sources:
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