Newly-released videos suggest that fireworks may have ignited the destructive Palisades Fire, which burned over 23,000 acres and destroyed nearly 7,000 structures. The footage, obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle, shows the fire’s possible origin on January 7, just days after a smaller fire, known as the Lachman Fire, was reported in the same area on New Year’s Day.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, fire investigators, including Tom Pierce and Terry Taylor, believe the Palisades Fire may have rekindled from embers left by the Lachman Fire. The videos show flashes of light, possibly from fireworks, before the fire erupted. Witnesses also reported hearing fireworks on New Year’s Day.
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) initially contained the Lachman Fire within hours, but the rekindle theory suggests that smoldering embers may have reignited under dry and windy conditions on January 7. The National Weather Service had warned of a “life-threatening, destructive and widespread windstorm” that day.
Despite the evidence, the cause of the Palisades Fire remains under investigation by the LAFD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). ABC7 reports that the ATF has not reached any final conclusions.
As the investigation continues, questions remain about whether the LAFD missed a hotspot from the initial fire. The Palisades Fire resulted in a dozen deaths and caused an estimated $25 billion in damages, making it one of the most destructive fires in California history.
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