PACIFIC PALISADES, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — On the minds of thousands of Palisades Fire victims when it comes to rebuilding: how can they be sure what happened on Jan. 7, 2025 won’t happen again?

Much of their concerns center on the role they believe their utility company – the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power – played in making the fire even more destructive than it had to be.

“I think people don’t blame the fire department as much because they didn’t have the resources. If they had 50 fire trucks and they were all equipped and there was water flowing, people would feel much better. But, you know, If you don’t have any of that, what are you supposed to do? I think any new build in America or in the world, they’re bearing power lines. And I think as a resident here, when you saw footage of power lines falling and burning people’s homes down, you then think, if it’s not buried and there’s another fire, the same thing’s gonna happen again,” said Vijay Srinivasan, a victim of the Palisades Fire.

Palisades resident Vijay Srinivasan looks out at his now empty lot, haunted by the new power lines above. He’s angry about the lack of assurances from the LADWP that not only will there not be re-ignitions, but that water will come out of the fire hydrants.

According to the LADWP, undergrounding the power lines in the Palisades is underway and over five miles of underground trench have been designed with 8,700 feet of trench installed. LADWP also told Eyewitness News their coordination with the Los Angeles Fire Department has improved.

Inspections of fire hydrants citywide are more frequent with weekly updates rather than a single annual report. Still, Srinivasan and other Palisades residents want guarantees, an actual timeline and more transparency to make sure this never happens again.

“I think it’s a good headline to say 50 people are already back in the Palisades and have rebuilt. But what’s a better headline is we have the infrastructure done, or at least we have a path to get the infrastructure done. So go rebuild now because you’re in a better place. And I think people would rather have the second than the first, and we just haven’t seen that yet,” said Srinivasan.

“We probably are likely looking at a five to ten year horizon to complete all that needs to be done. But, DWP has been very, very clear that they intend to do this and that they are going to see it through. The work is already underway,” said L.A. Councilwoman Traci Park.

Park says what we saw in the Palisades on Jan. 7 was the result of decades of underinvestment in our fire department and our infrastructure.

“All of the fire hydrants here in the Pacific Palisades have been tested and repaired. That work continues around the city of Los Angeles. But the hard reality is here we are modernizing our pipes, our pressure systems, our valves. We are going to be expanding and adding water resources here. But, that work cannot just happen in the Pacific Palisades. This needs to happen in Brentwood and Encino and the Hollywood Hills and beyond,” said Park.


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