What we know about the cause of the Palisades Fire

While officials investigate the cause Palisades Fire In Southern California, investigators focused on a popular hiking trail in the Los Angeles area where another fire broke out six days ago.

A CBS News analysis of satellite images and photos shared by local residents suggests the Palisades fire may have started near the site of another fire, the Lachman Fire, that broke out on Jan. 1.

While the Lachman Fire was limited to 8 acres and destroyed no structures, the Palisades Fire that broke out on the morning of January 7 Santa Ana style The fire spread, burning more than 23,000 acres and killing at least eight people, according to Cal Fire. A week later, the fire was still only 17% contained.

Officials have not yet determined the cause of the Palisades fire. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said Monday it has deployed 15 investigators to work with local, state and federal agencies to determine the cause and origin of the crash.

On January 5, satellite images from Planet Labs showed for the first time signs of scorched land that may have been caused by the Lachman Fire.

Sentinel-2 satellite images taken on Jan. 7 show smoke wafting again from the same area around the Temescal Ridge Trail.

Pacific Palisades residents told CBS News they saw the fire on the morning of Jan. 7 near the start of the Skull Rock Trail along the Temescal Ridge Trail in Topanga State Park. Jerry Del Colliano, whose home is three blocks from where the Palisades fire may have started, took photos of flames rising from the trail.

David Hansen evacuated his elderly mother from her home. santa ynez res. On January 7, a fire broke out in Pacific Palisades. Hansen said his mother's neighbors told him the Palisades Fire started near where the Rahman Fire was contained. He was photographed in the 1200 block of Piedra Morada Drive in Palisades Fire on Jan. 7 around 2:30 p.m. Piedra Morada Drive is about seven blocks from where the Rahman fire started.

“A thousand percent, it's the same place,” Hansen said.

Zane Mitchell, who hiked the Temescal Ridge Trail the morning of Jan. 1, told CBS News that portions of the ground near the burn scar of the Lachman Fire were “still smoldering,” and a team Firefighters are “still working to extinguish hot spots and clean up.” up. ”

Mitchell shared photos from his hike with CBS News that showed smoke still rising from the ground hours after the Los Angeles Fire Department reported the fire was under control at 4:46 a.m.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Southern California has a history of rekindled fires, including the 1991 Oakland Hills Fire, which destroyed more than 2,500 structures.

Other recent fires include August 2023 fire In Maui, Hawaii, there is another December 2021 Fire The outbreak in Boulder County, Colorado, has also been reignited by lingering hot spots.

“It was like a scene from 'The Terminator,'” Del Cogliano said, describing how he and elderly residents in their cars evacuated as fire swept through his neighborhood.