The Temescal Canyon hiking trail in western Los Angeles is a favorite spot for locals. Situated above the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, urban hikers seeking a break from the city have stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, the once green and brush-lined trail is now grey and burned. The area is cordoned off with yellow police tape, labeled a “crime scene” by authorities, who are investigating the deadly blaze that destroyed many homes in the vicinity.
A similar devastating scene unfolded in Altadena, where a fire ravaged the community, suspected to have started in the San Gabriel Mountains. Investigators in both locations are combing through canyons and trails, examining debris for clues on the fire’s origins. The cause of these destructive fires remains unknown, leaving Angelenos anxious for answers.
Various theories have emerged, including arson, utility companies, and even the possibility of a rekindled fire from previous days. Investigators are following leads in hopes of unraveling the mystery behind these tragic incidents. With 27 casualties and over 12,000 homes and businesses destroyed, the urgency for answers is palpable.
However, solving this complex puzzle will take time – possibly up to a year, according to authorities. The community’s demand for explanations is high, but the investigation requires thorough scrutiny of burn patterns, surveillance footage, and witness testimonies. The ATF spokesperson emphasized the need for patience in uncovering the truth.
The first signs of the Palisades Fire were witnessed by hikers in Temescal Canyon, capturing a small cloud of smoke that later escalated into a full-blown wildfire. Videos recorded by hikers provide valuable evidence for investigators, shedding light on the fire’s progression.
As the investigations continue, the community remains on edge, yearning for closure and accountability in the face of unprecedented devastation.
During the investigation into the cause of the Palisades Fire, Ms. Colbrun from the ATF confirmed that their experience is just one of the many tips and potential leads that have been brought to the attention of the authorities. “The investigators are speaking with everyone,” she mentioned. Following the proximity of a hiking group to the blaze when it started, some individuals online were quick to accuse the group of being responsible for the fire. Actor Rob Schneider even asked his followers to assist in identifying the hikers.
In interviews with US media, members of the hiking group expressed fear as online attacks started. One member mentioned deleting his social media accounts due to the overwhelming theories circulating. “It’s frightening,” one of the group told the LA Times. “Despite knowing for a fact that we didn’t cause it, seeing the multitude of different theories is unsettling.”
The Palisades Fire rapidly spread due to strong winds. Ms. Colbrun mentioned that investigators were also in contact with firefighters who had responded to a previous fire in the same canyon a few days earlier. There is speculation that a fire on January 1st was not fully extinguished and reignited six days later when the winds picked up.
The Palisades Fire is believed to have started around 10:30 AM local time on January 7th. Several hikers reported smelling smoke earlier that morning while on the trail. A security guard in the vicinity had observed smoke or dust in the area for several days leading up to the fire and called the firefighters when he spotted a plume of smoke.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone dismissed the theory that the two fires in the Palisades, occurring nearly a week apart, were connected. He expressed skepticism about a fire re-establishing itself after a week. However, he acknowledged that such incidents are rare. While his agency is not leading the investigation into the Palisades Fire, he stated that arson is being considered as a possibility.
Chief Marrone mentioned that almost half of the brushfires the agency responds to are intentionally set. Meanwhile, he has been occupied with dealing with the Eaton Fire in Altadena, working closely with Cal Fire to determine its cause and origin. The Eaton Fire erupted shortly after sunset on January 7th, following the challenges faced by firefighters in the Palisades earlier that day.
Early footage of the fire was captured by Jeffrey Ku using a Ring doorbell camera at his home. His wife urgently called him outside as flames lit up the sky, indicating a serious situation unfolding.
Ku and his wife were forced to flee their home in haste as they observed a fire rapidly approaching. At the time of their departure, the fire remained relatively contained, igniting beneath a towering metal utility structure on the mountainside. Through a series of video updates, Mr. Ku meticulously documented the fire’s progression, his voice increasingly tinged with apprehension as he and his wife gathered their belongings to evacuate.
“Please God, please God save us, save our house. Please God, please,” Mr. Ku implored in one video, the once serene sky now ablaze with a yellow-orange hue, sirens wailing in the background. The formidable metal utility tower captured in Mr. Ku’s recordings has become a focal point for fire investigators.
Historically, utility providers have faced censure for some of California’s most devastating fires, such as the catastrophic 2018 Camp Fire which claimed 85 lives and laid waste to the town of Paradise. In an effort to address the fallout from the Camp Fire and other conflagrations, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) reached a $13.5 billion (£10.2 billion) settlement with victims in 2019.
In the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, a spate of lawsuits has already been lodged against Southern California Edison, the electricity supplier managing the tower featured in Mr. Ku’s footage. The company has refuted claims of responsibility for the fire, asserting that it is scrutinizing the legal challenges.
A preliminary examination conducted by Southern California Edison revealed no discernible abnormalities or outages in the transmission lines preceding the fire’s inception or thereafter. Moreover, the company highlighted that their preemptive safety measures had deactivated distribution lines bordering Eaton Canyon well before the reported commencement of the fire.
Chief Marrone disclosed that investigators are exploring all avenues, including the theory that the tower might have been the ignition point for a spot fire, suggesting that the initial blaze could have originated elsewhere and spread to the tower via airborne embers.
Contrary to the typical infrastructure found in residential areas, the tower identified as the fire’s origin point deviated significantly in structure and function. Unlike conventional wooden poles with diminutive transformers and slender wires, this tower was a colossal metal transmission structure housing high-voltage lines as robust as a human fist. The sophisticated computerized nature of these high-voltage lines generally minimizes fire risks, as the system promptly shuts off power upon detecting anomalies.
Nonetheless, investigators are delving into the operational integrity of Southern California Edison’s systems on the night in question, evaluating whether appropriate measures were executed to curtail power flow. Cal Fire urged caution against premature attribution of blame during the inquiry process, emphasizing the need to circumvent baseless accusations that could potentially sow chaos.
Further contributions from Hannah Green and Emma Pengelly shed light on the extensive damage wrought by the conflagration in Los Angeles, underscoring the environmental repercussions of the wildfires. Additionally, the oscillating climate conditions have been linked to
