Firefighters combat Santa Ana winds in Southern California
The National Weather Service issued a “particularly dangerous situation” Red Flag Warning as winds pick up in and around Los Angeles.
More than a week after a series of windswept wildfires overtook swaths of the Los Angeles area, much remains unknown about the origins of the blazes that have killed at least 25 people, decimated entire neighborhoods and forced tens of thousands from their homes.
Forecasters and scientists say a perfect storm of weather conditions set the stage for the fire’s explosive growth: hurricane-force winds, low humidity and relentless drought conditions.
In addition to the causes of the fires, investigators are also probing insufficient water supplies and pressure at fire hydrants in the Pacific Palisades, an affluent community ravaged by a wildfire that authorities said overwhelmed the local water system.
Officials have not publicly identified the causes of the blazes, but several lawsuits as well as statements from the region’s largest utility provider have offered insight into their possible origins.
Here’s what we know:
Palisades Fire
The Palisades Fire was first reported on the morning of Tuesday. Jan. 7. Fueled by gusty Santa Ana winds, the fire exploded in size and within 24 hours had grown to nearly 3,000 acres, forcing rounds of frenzied evacuations that saw people stuck in traffic flee their cars.
By the following week, it destroyed thousands of structures, decimated whole communities, killed at least eight people and became the most destructive wildland fire in Los Angeles history.
Officials have not said what caused the fire, but in recent days investigators have honed in on a ridgeline in western Los Angeles where the fire is believed to have started. The area is popular with hikers and outdoor enthusiasts for its trails that offer vistas of the Pacific Ocean and ritzy Pacific Palisades neighborhood. Photos taken this week show investigators walking through the ash-ridden area cordoned off by police tape.
On New Year’s Day, that area was the site of a wildfire that was ignited by fireworks, multiple news outlets reported. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the scene and contained the fire, which had grown to eight acres. Nothing was damaged and no injuries were reported, according to the fire department.
“Firefighters completed the hose line around the perimeter of the fire and it is fully contained,” read a summary of the incident by the Los Angeles Fire Department. “Some resources will be released as the mop up operation continues to ensure no flare ups.”
Cal Fire has previously warned state residents that wildfires can reignite long after they are largely extinguished. “The areas within the fire scar can smolder and reignite weeks later,” Cal Fire said in a social media post in July, urging residents to respect road blocks and perimeters.
It remains unclear whether this earlier fire had anything to do with the Palisades Fire that would go on to consume an area of land about the size of Miami.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has deployed its National Response Team to investigate the cause of the Palisades Fire, the agency announced on Monday. The team will split responsibilities, with one group examining damage, debris, and burn patterns where the fire began, the agency said. The other group will focus on gathering information such as surveillance footage, digital evidence and witness statements.
“ATF is fully dedicated to providing answers to the Pacific Palisades community,” said Jose Medina, acting special agent in charge of the ATF Los Angeles Field Division. “These wildfires have caused immeasurable heartbreak and losses. ATF is determined to leverage every available resource to deliver a thorough and transparent investigation.”
Eaton Fire
The Eaton Fire has scorched over 14,000 acres of land and has laid waste to the historic Altadena neighborhood and swaths of Pasadena since it started on Jan. 7. Authorities have linked the fire to the deaths of at least 17 people.
Fire officials have not publicly identified the cause of the blaze. However, multiple lawsuits filed this week allege the fire was started by utility equipment owned by Southern California Edison, the largest power provider in Southern California.
One of the lawsuits includes eyewitness accounts of a fire near one of the company’s utility towers. It also includes data that it says showed electrical grid disruptions occurred before the blaze started – which the company has disputed.
In a safety report sent to investors, the utility said investigators had not identified its equipment as the source of the fire and added that its transmission lines experienced “no operational anomalies” until after the fire started. It did, however, note that lawyers representing insurance companies requested Southern California Edison preserve equipment that could have been linked to the fire.
“No fire agency has suggested that SCE’s electric facilities were involved in the ignition or requested the removal and retention of any SCE equipment,” the company said in the report.
In a separate statement, the company said: “SCE conducted preliminary analysis of electrical circuit information for the four energized transmission lines in the Eaton Canyon area. That analysis shows no interruptions or operational/electrical anomalies in the 12 hours prior to the fire’s reported start time until more than one hour after the reported start time of the fire.
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Hurst Fire
The Hurst Fire began on Jan. 7 and has burned nearly 800 acres in the north San Fernando Valley area, near the city of Sylmar.
Cal Fire has not identified a cause of the fire and officials have reiterated that it is under investigation. In a statement, Southern California Edison has said fire agencies are investigating whether its equipment were involved in sparking the blaze.
The utility said a downed powerline was found near where the fire started, but said its not sure when the line had been knocked down.
“SCE does not know whether the damage observed occurred before or after the start of the fire,” the company said in a statement.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, Michael Loria, USA TODAY; Reuters
