The closure of a 117 million gallon reservoir nearby complicated matters. Earlier this month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and LA city council members called for investigations into why the Santa Ynez Reservoir hadn't yet reopened after being drained almost a year ago to repair a tear in its cover.
"That would have made a difference," Pierce said. "But even, by all accounts, if that reservoir was full, it wouldn't have stopped the fire."
Typically, fires are also fought by aircraft dropping water and fire retardant from above, but high winds kept them grounded for several hours on the first night of the fire.