As thousands of homes started to burn across Los Angeles on Jan. 7, fire hydrants stopped working. The rapid spread of flames in winds up to 100 miles per hour was happening too quickly for water pumps to keep up. It shocked the system and those fleeing the flames.
"This area is known for having fire issues, so you would think that they would be prepared for this," said Joan Zoloth, 70, who said she first moved to the area when she was 6 years old.
Zoloth's childhood home burned down in the Palisades Fire. Her own home around the corner and her son's home nearby were also lost.