Water experts dismissed Trump’s claims that California water policy is to blame for dry hydrants. But Los Angeles is also unprepared for the age of urban wildfires.

As wildfires roar into residential neighborhoods, firefighters in California and elsewhere are finding that water systems can’t keep up with the demand.

Firefighters battled Thursday to control a series of major fires in the Los Angeles area that have killed seven people, burned at least 10,000 structures from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena and sent thousands of people frantically fleeing their homes.

As wildfires ravage the Los Angeles area, destroying neighborhoods and forcing tens of thousands to evacuate, the impact of the devastation continues to grow. At least five people have died and several wind-driven fires remain largely uncontained. The largest, known as the Palisades Fire, is the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles history.

As wildfires become increasingly common in urban areas, public water systems are often unable to meet the firefighting demand.

Some Los Angeles fire hydrants have run dry as demand soared for water to quell wildfires that broke out across the county.

Reports of fire hydrants running dry as crews battled the Palisades Fire has raised questions among residents and fire officials in San Diego County whether it is something that could happen here when the region gets next major wildfire — and what can be done about it.