Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, best known for their roles on MTV’s The Hills, have filed a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles, alleging that negligence by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) contributed to the destruction of their Pacific Palisades home during the Palisades Fire.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, accuses LADWP of failing to maintain a sufficient water supply system to combat the historic blaze that erupted on January 7. Pratt and Montag are joined by 20 other property owners in their suit, which alleges LADWP’s mismanagement left the region unprepared to fight the fire, resulting in the loss of more than 6,500 structures.

The complaint centers on LADWP’s decision to leave the Santa Ynez Reservoir empty for nearly a year while seeking contractor bids for repairs. With the reservoir offline, water shortages plagued efforts to battle the wildfire, leaving hydrants inoperable after three nearby water tanks were depleted within 12 hours.

“This stated public purpose was far outweighed by the substantial risk posed to Pacific Palisades by wildfires,” the lawsuit claims. “The degree of damage that resulted from the Palisades Fire far outweighed any benefit that could have been realized by outsourcing and delaying repairs.”

Governor Gavin Newsom has since ordered an investigation into the water supply failures that hampered firefighting efforts. Mark Pestrella, director of Los Angeles County Public Works, said the hydrant system in the area was never designed to handle wildfires, further underscoring the severity of the region’s vulnerability.

Critics have targeted LADWP’s delay in repairing the reservoir, arguing the work could have been completed more quickly if handled internally. Gus Corona, business manager of IBEW Local 18, which represents LADWP employees, called the delay “completely unacceptable.”

“This reservoir was empty for almost a year for minor repairs,” Corona told the Los Angeles Times. “This work should have been done in-house, and they shouldn’t have depended on a contractor to do it; I truly believe it’s something that could have been avoided.”

The lawsuit alleges inverse condemnation, a legal claim that allows property owners to seek compensation for damages caused by public infrastructure. Montag and Pratt are seeking unspecified damages for the loss of their home.

Pratt has since turned to social media to rally financial support, urging fans to stream Montag’s 2010 album, Superficial, which recently topped iTunes charts.

Meanwhile, LADWP has faced additional lawsuits from property owners, many of whom have also targeted Southern California Edison over alleged failures to prevent its power lines from sparking wildfires. LADWP did not respond to a request for comment.

The Palisades Fire lawsuit underscores growing scrutiny over how public agencies in California are managing wildfire prevention and response. With wildfires becoming increasingly frequent and devastating, officials and agencies face mounting pressure to upgrade infrastructure and preparedness measures.

Montag and Pratt’s legal battle joins a wave of litigation by affected homeowners demanding accountability and compensation, as Los Angeles grapples with the aftermath of one of its most destructive wildfire seasons in history.