Arizona cities are prepared with 'uninterrupted' water supply for fires
PHOENIX - As fires continue to burn in southern California, we're taking a look at how Arizona firefighting agencies are prepared for wildfires.
An issue during the Pacific Palisades Fire in southern California was water pressure becoming low in fire hydrants as crews tried to protect thousands of homes.
In Arizona, firefighters say they have never had an issue getting water from our reservoirs for fires.
The Phoenix Fire Department and the Water Services Department released a joint statement on the matter.
"Phoenix's water systems and fire hydrants are designed, installed, and maintained to meet or exceed national standards and other applicable codes. These standards ensure that hydrants provide sufficient water flow and pressure to support effective firefighting operations. Phoenix operates one of the largest and most reliable water distribution systems in the Southwest, with multiple redundancies to ensure a continuous water supply during emergencies. The system incorporates storage reservoirs, booster stations, and interconnections to support high-demand scenarios.
Through unified coordination and standard operating procedures, the Phoenix Fire Department and Water Services Department works together to maintain an uninterrupted water supply, critical for effective firefighting and community safety. During incidents requiring large amounts of water, Phoenix Water Services provides the technical expertise and resources to sustain water pressure and flow through the city’s vast water infrastructure. This collaboration ensures that hydrants and other water sources function effectively, even under the most demanding conditions. These efforts are critical to maintaining the safety and well-being of Phoenix residents and first responders alike."
FOX 10 reached out to more agencies to get their takes on how the state prepares for large wildfires.
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Scottsdale FD, Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management are prepared
A man who lost his home in the Palisades Fire is coming to terms with losing his home and his community because of the lack of water.
"We have a fire hydrant right there! Right there! 30 feet away. There's no water though," the resident said.
Capt. Dave Folio with the Scottsdale Fire Department says we won't see dry fire hydrants in the Valley.
"Quite a tragedy what's happening over there, and it continues to happen, so our thoughts and prayers to the men and women on the front lines working that fire," he said.
What caused LA fire hydrants to run out of water?
Firefighters working to extinguish the wildfires in the Los Angeles area have faced challenges as hydrants either have water shortages or completely ran out.
Scottsdale and the surrounding Phoenix area have different fuel models. He says they work with the state, local government and federal government to get air supply quickly.
"If you saw the Diamond Fire, that's probably the biggest fire we've had recently, where we probably had, within an hour, two planes flying on that fire," he said. "It's all about resources and allocations of the resources."
Every single firefighter takes a yearly course and is wildland trained.
"Four years ago, we hired a fuel mitigation specialist that has actually identified certain areas in our city to thin out some of the brush," he explained.
The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management says it has the water capabilities in place now to support future fires.
"We've not had any issues so far with water support. We have a lot of lakes around the state that we pull from now. Whether that's using a water scooper to support a fire, whether that's using a helicopter to support a fire. The majority of our fires are in the wildland-urban interface. They're in outer lying areas where we don't usually have a lot of hydrant support to begin with," Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management spokesperson Tiffany Davila said.
Several crews from Arizona have gone to California to help fight the wildfires.
The Arizona Emergency Information Network (AzEIN) is set up to inform residents about emergency situations in our state. Click here to learn more.