Residents in Pacific Palisades may notice smoke and flames starting Tuesday through Thursday, as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducts a controlled burn. This operation, taking place along the Temescal Ridge Trail between Skull Rock and Green Peak, aims to investigate the cause of the devastating January fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes.
The controlled burn is part of an ongoing effort by the ATF to determine the fire’s exact point of origin and how it spread so rapidly during a massive windstorm. According to ABC7, the Los Angeles Fire Department will have personnel on-site to ensure public safety and environmental protection. The public is advised to avoid the area during the burn.
The January fire, which started around 10:30 a.m. on January 7, was exacerbated by high winds and burned over 23,000 acres, displacing nearly 28,000 residents. Investigators are focusing on whether the fire was a rekindling of an earlier blaze sparked by illegal fireworks or a new fire altogether. FireRescue1 reports that the investigation has included examining 250 leads, reviewing 90 hours of video, and conducting 50 interviews.
The ATF’s findings will be crucial in understanding the fire’s cause and preventing future disasters. Residents have expressed concerns about wooden poles in the area that were not replaced with fire-resistant materials, though these poles were not near the fire’s origin. The ongoing investigation has kept some public records sealed, as reported by Circling The News.
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