One week after the Palisades Fire, investigators are piecing together how it began, focusing on a scorched area in Los Angeles.
Investigators are now sifting through evidence on a blackened slope in western Los Angeles. This area overlooks a neighborhood that includes a popular hiking trail. Interestingly, there was a smaller fire just six days before the big one.
To get to the bottom of this, investigators are gathering videos, photos, and witness accounts. They’re also looking at 911 calls for any clues. Jose Medina from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives mentioned that they have a large team working on this, but it’s going to take time to find answers.
So far, they haven’t pinpointed a cause. However, they’re exploring several possibilities, like arson, accidental sparks, or even fireworks. They’re also checking if the earlier fire might have rekindled.
The investigators are combing through the area where the fire started, looking for tiny clues. They’re trained to spot patterns in how the fire spread, which can help them trace it back to its origin.
They’re narrowing down their search to a small area and using tools like metal detectors and magnifying glasses to find anything that could explain what happened. They might even bring in dogs trained to sniff out accelerants.
The ATF is leading this investigation, which also includes looking into other fires that broke out in Los Angeles County around the same time. These fires have caused significant damage, destroying over 12,000 structures and taking at least 25 lives.
The Palisades Fire is particularly tricky to explain due to the many factors involved. The earlier fire on January 1 has sparked a lot of speculation, but experts are divided on whether it could have caused the later blaze.
On January 7, a hiker noticed some charred vegetation while out on a trail. He didn’t think much of it at the time, but later, his home was destroyed by the fire.
As the fire spread, more people saw the flames and began to flee. The connection between the two fires has raised questions, but experts say rekindling is unlikely given the time gap and the type of vegetation in the area.
In the end, it’s a waiting game for the community as investigators work to uncover the truth behind this tragic event.
