Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag Sue City of Los Angeles After Losing Home in Wildfires

Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag are suing the city of Los Angeles and the Department of Water and Power (LADWP) after losing their home in the Pacific Palisades fire earlier this month.

The lawsuit, filed in California’s Superior Court in Los Angeles on Tuesday, January 21, argued that the natural disaster was “an inescapable and unavoidable consequence” due to how the city and the municipal agency allegedly managed water supply in the area, per People.

The lawsuit describes the plaintiffs as “property owners, tenants and individuals,” who suffered “untold devastation” and significant consequences due to the fire, such as damaged homes, insurance coverage shortfalls, mandatory evacuations, medical expenses, business interruption and emotional distress.

Heidi and Spencer’s lawsuit specifically references the Santa Ynez Reservoir in the Palisades — which they say has “been out of commission” since February 2024 and awaiting repairs — and claims the LADWP continued to operate the drained reservoir to save money.

“With the Santa Ynez Reservoir effectively out of commission, hydrants in Pacific Palisades failed after three tanks each holding one million gallons of water went dry within a span of 12 hours,” the lawsuit alleged.

In addition, the lawsuit claimed the water didn’t have enough pressure to fight the major fire as it was designed for public use. It alleged that Mark Pestrella, director of Los Angeles County Public Works, said that the hydrant system was “not designed to fight wildfires” alone.

“Defendants deliberately designed and maintained this water supply system in this way, despite Los Angeles being in a fire-prone area,” the lawsuit continued.

Spencer’s mom, Janet Pratt, was among the 20 other plaintiffs named in the suit. Spencer’s sister, Stephanie Pratt, confirmed on January 8 that their parents’ home was destroyed just hours after Heidi and Spencer’s house was.

The plaintiffs are asking for inverse condemnation, claiming that the “Defendants’ operation of its water supply and related infrastructure was a substantial cause of Plaintiffs’ damages.” They are suing for an undisclosed amount of money — which includes repair costs to their properties, the loss of enjoyment of their properties and loss of wages and earning capacity — and are also asking for attorney fees and trial by jury.

The Palisades fire ignited on January 7, first reported at around 10:30 a.m., and rapidly expanded due to the severe drought conditions and strong Santa Ana winds in the area. As of Friday, January 24, the fire has burned more than 23,000 acres and caused at least 11 fatalities, according to The Malibu Times. The fire is 77 percent contained as of publication.