Why California is Burning – Can anything be done to combat this in the future

By Tim Kolacz, Californian, Voter, Insurance Specialist

California has long had a troubled past with wildfires. This is because California is a desert and water is hard to come by, especially south of America’s bread basket, the Central Valley. The Central Valley has for decades been the key producer of fruits and vegetables, 80 percent of the almonds to the world, and 99 percent of all of the pistachios.

So why is it that Los Angeles doesn’t have any water to put out the fires that are currently ravaging Pacific Palisades, Alta Dena, and multiple other cities across the southland? Is it do to a smelt fish? Is it do to politics? Is it due to an environmental cover for a reservoir?

Yes.

Over the past 30 years, politics in California have played a huge part in why water does, or does not, flow to certain areas. Farmers in and around the Central Valley have petitioned for more water to be siphoned off of the water flows as they head south to LA and Orange County. Water rights have always been a sticking point, see the movie Chinatown. This is loosely based on William Mulholland him buying up 95 percent of the water rights in the Owens Valley.

Diverting the water because “It was there, take it”, Mulholland brought water to a small Los Angeles beginning in 1913. The purchase, under the guise of being farmers and ranchers, continued until 1923 when the water belonged to him and now to LA. What occurred was that the thriving Owens Valley became a dust bowl and is now the largest source of dust in the US, according to the United States EPA.

For years the environmental lobby, especially in California, has championed for the saving of certain fishes and other waterfowl to be saved by preserving the water flows in the rivers all throughout the state. While good on its surface, not all efforts are in the best interests of other species. When a river is dammed, other life evolves in that area. Birds and small mammals make their homes along the banks; water percolates into the Earth and refills water tables; different fishes that attract more wildlife live in the dammed water and the environment, some would say, grows and is better in the whole.

According to reports, over 90 percent of all the water in California flows directly into the ocean.

Think about that for a minute. 90 percent. Of all California water. Bypasses all of the farmers, people, and potentially endangered ecosystems and goes into the ocean.

If the environmentalists really looked at how to save the environment, they would look at dams and other water collection sources as a way to help the environment. Climate Change? By having water stay in one place, it would actually cool the areas in question as water churns around and keeps temps lower versus dried out baren landscapes. Water then percolates into the land and the soil is richer for worms and other soil living creatures. More, bigger creatures show up to eat them and then other animals show up to eat them. Hmmm, Circle of Life type of stuff. Where’s Mufasa?

Once we are looking at these things, the government could then actually follow up on things like, building other reservoirs, that were voted on and approved, or keeping the covers maintained for the ones that do exist. Like Santa Ynez Reservoir (SYR) that is immediately next door to, wait for it, Pacific Palisades.

That reservoir has been empty due to the cover having a hole in it. This is the same cover that was supposed to have a minimum 10-year life span. But was contracted in 2021 and 2023 to be fixed, coincidentally (or not) by the same contractor.

When the historic fires that broke out and were subsequently driven by 70+ knot winds, there was no water in SYR to feed into the water dropping aircraft. More importantly, there was no water pressure to feed into the local fire hydrants to feed the fire trucks when the aircraft were grounded. Because of decisions made over the past 100 years, these resources were not provided to the responders who were trying to save homes, lives, businesses. The infrastructure, or lack thereof, doesn’t support the population.

Would have prescribed burns mitigated, in any way, the damages to the fire zones? Maybe. I say maybe for a few reasons. When the Line fire happened in the Fall of 2024, there were fire breaks that were in place due to prior fires and also to mitigation of the area. Even with the fire running through several thousand acres of land, not once did the fire jump any of the breaks in place. When Yosemite National Park realized that underbrush was taking over the Valley, they did controlled burns and the Valley floor recovered very nicely, while also providing a blockade to a large fire spreading.

The fact that specifically the Pacific Palisades fire started in a more remote area, with lots of fuel, and inside of an area with fast moving winds, definitely hindered fire fighting efforts. Within 30 minutes of a camera picking up the start of the fire, 200 acres had burned. Even with helicopters dropping retardants and water, the fire spread quickly. Once the winds really kicked up and helicopters were grounded, things got catastrophic.

No fire breaks. Water resources running dry. No water pressure where there was water to be had.

These are decisions that have been compounded by state agencies that might be driven by the need to get re-elected. Or perhaps be appointed by someone else who is elected that’s your friend.

Are these decisions 100 percent the cause of the damages incurred? Absolutely not. Did they contribute; absolutely yes. Can these decisions be changed for the benefit of future generations for the next 100 years; certainly. Will they happen? Not with the current administration in California and not unless Voters (you and me) vote for changes.

We have the power to have our government work for us. Not some lobbyist who gets paid to push an agenda. We have the power to have real change, properly percolate water; create environmentally friendly dams and river diversions that make sense.

To all Californians wanting a change, “It’s there, take it”

Tim Kolacz is a Property and Casualty broker for HUB International. He can be reached at [email protected] and at 714-922-4234