Part 2/6:
Under the directive of Trump's executive order, the Army Corps of Engineers moved quickly to release water from two major reservoirs at their maximum capacity with little warning—just an hour's notice. Victor Hernandez, who oversees water management at the Kaa River, expressed his disbelief at the short notice, stating, “I’ve been here 25 years and I’ve never been given notice that quick.”
The Army Corps explained that the water releases from Lakes Success and Kaweah were intended to ensure water availability for firefighting efforts in the wake of the wildfires devastating the region. Yet, local officials remained skeptical, questioning the logic of utilizing water resources that were situated 200 miles away from the fires to aid in firefighting efforts.