From the beginning, theories about what started the Pacific Palisades fire in Los Angeles were centered on only a couple of possibilities. Those theories haven't changed. So why is there a blackout on what caused the fire?
In the Eaton Fire, which torched Altadena and parts of Pasadena, a video of a Ring camera showed an electric arc from a high-tension power line that convinced many that they'd seen the origin of that devastating fire. The investigation into the cause of that fire continues, according to CalFire.
Both the Eaton and Palisades fires are nearly completely contained and fortunately, two atmospheric rivers are blowing in this weekend to help put out the rest of the flames that may still be smoldering.
So now that we're entering the clean-up and rebuilding phase. It's time to find out what started the fire that wiped out an upscale swath of Palisades homes on 23,000 acres, which is nearly twice the size of Manhattan.
A team of 16 arson investigators with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives has been investigating since nearly the beginning of the outbreak, according to the L.A. Times. They're working with specialists throughout the country. One thing they agree on: the fire was most certainly started by human hand. But how?
Related: Stunner: California Saved a Shrub Instead of Protecting Humans From the L.A. Firestorm
From the beginning, speculation centered on two things that may have started the fire. One, firefighters feared that a fire put out in Topanga Canyon near Skull Rock on January 1, could have somehow kicked up again.
The five-mile Skull Rock hiking trail is popular with teens and others.
In a video released after the fire, these clowns tried to make people think they were somehow trapped by the fire and then heroically made it out.
My friends and I got ambushed by the palisades fire soon after it started. We hiked up to skull rock and smelled smoke as we were hanging. We quickly had to run for our lives. #fire #cawx #palisadesfire pic.twitter.com/lmwz4n5AT4
— Beni Oren (@BeniOren1) January 8, 2025
Going in circles and recording while you're supposedly running for your lives seems stupid, am I right?
But on New Year's Eve, it's believed that some jacka** set off fireworks at that site. That seems stupid too.
BREAKING: Palisades Fire has ‘human origins’ in hiking area near skull rock, popular spot for teens.
— TaraBull (@TaraBull808) January 13, 2025
But I was told it was 'climate change' pic.twitter.com/AnP0tI8nwa
The New Year's Eve fire was knocked down fairly quickly before it damaged any homes. Firefighters kept watch over the site for 36 hours to make sure they could put out hotspots quickly. There were no flare-ups. Eventually, fire watchers left.
The fire chief, Kristin Crowley, assured homeowners that if the Palisades fire was due to a flare-up of that fire, "I can look you in the eye and tell you that full disclosure if that indeed is what they find out, we will tell you that."
The second theory, though a less popular theory in the Palisades fire, is that campers and homeless people in the area set the fire to keep themselves warm. About half of the calls for firefighters are from homeless encampments. The Sepulveda area close by has routinely been set afire by homeless campers, such as this one.
This was December 2017 at the Sepulveda Pass in LA where fires are now approaching in 2025 🤬 pic.twitter.com/oTsuUnKuOk
— WestCoast_Life (@westcoast_lyfe) January 12, 2025
And, as I pointed out the homeless have been a problem in the Topanga Canyon area in the past.
Related: L.A. Mayor Karen Bass (Rhymes With) Just Confirmed the Fears of Palisades Fire Victims
As much as the left hopes to lay blame on climate change, fireworks and firebugs don't qualify.
NEW: ATF and arson investigators are combing through portions of the Skull Rock Trail in Pacific Palisades, CA. This is believed to be close to the origins of the Palisades Fire. #PalisadesFire pic.twitter.com/iK3nmRIFHY
— Matthew Seedorff (@MattSeedorff) January 14, 2025
You'll recall that a man by the name of Krishan Chaudry was the first to have reported the fire when he said it popped up just beyond his backyard. His backyard is Topanga Canyon. What happened there?
The arson investigators say they'll have some conclusions within 60 days, but sooner sure would be better.
Los Angeles residents are tired of waiting and being lied to. They've been lied to about the competence of their leaders, about the priorities of their elected leaders, defunding their fire department, and whether there's water in the reservoir and fire hydrants. And now they're being ordered to get special permits to get back to their property and rebuild their homes after being told they could "quickly" get to their properties.
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