ALTADENA, Calif. — Ryan Babroff hurried to a nearby hydrant, hoping to help firefighters and residents douse the massive flames consuming homes in this mountain community northeast of Los Angeles. But ...

As flames quickly engulfed neighborhoods in the Los Angeles County community of Pacific Palisades, the firefight was hampered by several major issues, including wind speeds and water pressure issues.

Demand for water to fight the Palisades Fire led the community’s water tanks to temporarily dry up. The Los Angeles Fire Department said that hampered firefighting efforts. Experts said the area’s ...