• Urban Water Supply + Fire

    Research and Policy Coordination

    Los Angeles Fire Department Water Tank 88

Key Takeaways

  • UCLA-led workshops examine how water systems can better prepare for and respond to growing wildfire risks.
  • Water systems were not designed to meet the extreme demands of large wildland-urban fires, but in the wake of the 2025 Los Angeles fires, there is a gap between expectations and those realities.
  • Expanding wildfire resilience requires clearer roles, stronger coordination, and equitable funding.
  • Trusted relationships and effective communication are critical to restoring public confidence after wildfires.

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Urban water systems were built to support drinking needs and neighborhood firefighting, not to respond to large wildland-urban fire events, such as the January 2025 Los Angeles fires. In response, new, politicized narratives have raised expectations regarding damaged water infrastructure, threatened water quality, and increased the strain on utilities as they scrambled to support fire response.

By facilitating a series of workshops at the intersection of water resilience and fire risk, our experts are catalyzing new research and cross-sector collaboration, while providing water managers, policymakers, and communities with guidance and tools to better prepare for fire’s impacts. Below is a synthesis of findings based on discussions with experts from water agencies, fire services, research institutions, and state and local organizations.

Description

Workshop Synthesis Report

Author(s): Gregory Pierce, Erik Porse, Faith Kearns, Edith de Guzman, Camilo Salcedo, Jennifer Gorman, and Ariana Hernandez

This report finds that water systems are not designed to stop large urban wildfires; expanding wildfire-fighting capacity could be costly and require tradeoffs; better coordination and planning may be as important as infrastructure upgrades; and statewide guidance could help establish best practices. These insights aim to support more informed preparedness, response, and recovery at the water–fire nexus. Read the news story.

Read the Report

Description

Workshop Synthesis Report

Author(s): Gregory Pierce, Jennifer Gorman, Faith Kearns, Edith de Guzman, Erik Porse, Camilo Salcedo, Megan Mullin, and Ahmed Rachid El-Khattabi

This research finds that current infrastructure, legal frameworks, and funding mechanisms are not well-suited to wildfire-related investments, and that expanding fire-flow capacity could strain affordability and system viability. The findings highlight the need for clearer roles, stronger coordination, and more durable, equitable funding strategies for wildfire resilience. Read the news story.

Read the Report

Description

Workshop Synthesis Report

Author(s): Gregory Pierce, Jennifer Gorman, Faith Kearns, Edith de Guzman, Erik Porse, Kelsey Pieper, Khalid K. Osman, Jean Claude Iradukunda, Rachel Connolly, and Silvia González

This report examines how wildfires affect drinking water quality, public confidence in tap water, and post-disaster communications. It highlights the importance of trusted relationships and effective communication before and after disasters, while identifying research, policy, and resource needs to help water systems restore both service and public confidence. Read the news story.

Read the Report

This workshop series is organized through the Urban Water Supply + Fire Research and Policy Coordination Network, a collaboration led by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. See the workshops’ agendas, participant lists, presentations, and more.

Funding Acknowledgments

This research is funded by the UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge Climate and Wildfire Research Initiative, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, The Water Foundation, and the California Institute for Water Resources.

Learn more about the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation’s research on Water Systems & Fire Resilience.

EXPERTS

Top page photo:
Los Angeles Fire Department Water Tank 88
Credit: Wikimedia Commons

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