Los Angeles officials face intense backlash after admitting they were aware of the impending wildfires that destroyed the city but failed to take sufficient action to prevent widespread damage. In a shocking revelation, local authorities blamed residents for the devastation, even though they knew the fires were likely to occur. Furthermore, it was disclosed that the Pacific Palisades Reservoir, a critical resource for firefighting efforts, had been left empty for an entire year, exacerbating the situation. Critics are questioning the leadership's handling of disaster preparedness and the safety of residents.
James O’Keefe of O’Keefe Media Group released a new investigative report about the city’s response to the devastating wildfires. Alexander Boz, an international relations official from the Los Angeles Mayor’s office, and Angel Luna, the L.A. Department of Water and Power project manager, suggested that the city’s incompetence led to insufficient water being available to extinguish the fires.
SHOCKING HIDDEN CAMERA CONFESSION: LA Mayor Official Admits Office Knew Wildfires Were Coming, Claims There Was “Nothing They Could Do,” Blames Residents Who “Lost Everything”; LADWP Project Manager Confesses the Pacific Palisades Reservoir Was Empty for "A Year"
— James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) February 20, 2025
“Their yards… pic.twitter.com/r2wTYOwL5u
Luna confirmed that the Pacific Palisades reservoir had been emptied and decommissioned but downplayed its significance, asserting that the over 100 million gallons of water wouldn’t have made a difference considering the scale of destruction and the number of homes lost, which exceeded 12,000. He also criticized L.A. firefighters, claiming they were "breaking our equipment" in response to concerns about the shortage of functioning fire hydrants. He claimed the hydrants didn’t have water because California residents live in a desert, and it rarely rains.
Meanwhile, Boz blamed the residents for having yards “out of code.”
However, the National Guard that was called to help deviate the wildfires said that Los Angeles didn’t have water in the hydrants because “the governor decided not to do the reservoir and sh*t.”
Boz also highlighted that L.A. Mayor Karen Bass (D), who was in Africa during the fires, admitted her office was aware of the fire risk but claimed there was "nothing they could do" despite receiving "red flag warnings" and apparent "indications" of an impending fire.
Following the release of O’Keefe’s hidden camera footage of Boz, Steve Slepcevic, the co-founder and CEO of disaster management network Strategic Response Partners, criticized the city for disregarding "red flag warnings" that led to a lack of water in the reservoir and hydrants.