Fires Will Be Lit In Pacific Palisades As Part Of Federal Investigation This Week
While seeing fire in the hills this week may be traumatic for Pacific Palisades residents, Federal officials believe the controlled blazes may help them finally determine what caused the deadly Palisades Fire.
The public is being asked to avoid the Temescal Ridge Trail in the Santa Monica Mountains tonight through Thursday while the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducts controlled fire testing.
More from Deadline
L.A. Wildfires: Property Damage Estimated At Between $28B-$53.8B; Full Recovery Will Take At Least Until 2029
L.A. Wildfires: How The International Industry Responded & What Happened Next
Duke's Malibu Lays Off 126 Employees After Mudslide
The testing will begin Tuesday evening between Skull Rock and Green Peak, according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department. That's close to what is believed to be ground zero of the massive Palisades Fire in mid-January which scorched more than 34,000 acres, took 12 lives and destroyed close to 7,000 structures.
skull rock, Pacific palisades near Malibu, the start of the fires pic.twitter.com/zVU3qwcjbe
— johnsouthwales (@johnsouthwales) January 13, 2025
'While this scientific testing will periodically include open flame in a small area that may be visible at a distance, it does not involve the burning of vegetation,' Humphrey said. 'Los Angeles Fire Department personnel will be present before, during, and after all testing to ensure public safety and environmental protection.'
The Palisades Fire was first detected around 10:30 a.m. Jan. 7 near Skull Rock. This week's ignitions will hopefully help investigators pinpoint the fire's exact origin and whether it was a rekindling of the Lachman Fire, an eight-acre blaze in the early morning of January 1 near Via La Costa in the Palisades. The Lachman Fire was sparked by fireworks, and first responders believed they had completely cleaned it up that same day.
Investigators have been combing the area near Skull Rock in the months since to try and model what might have happened. This week's ignitions will be part of that process.
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
There will be no provisions for media or public access due to the terrain and logistics, Humphrey said, adding that aircraft/drone pilots were instructed to follow any FAA-issued restrictions for the area.
'During this time period, there is no cause for public concern, or need to report the small testing flames that may be periodically visible near Tesmescal Ridge to 911,' he said.
#LosAngeles; #ATF will be conducting controlled fire testing along the Temescal Ridge Trail between Skull Rock & Green Peak. The testing is set to occur during the evening of Tuesday, April 29 through Thursday, May 1. Your #LAFD will be present before, during, and after all… pic.twitter.com/GJ2iBX3HNJ
— Erik Scott (@PIOErikScott) April 29, 2025
Additionally, Firefighters are conducting a prescribed fire of brush piles near the Rincon Fire Station and state Route 39, Angeles National Forest officials report. Smoke may be visible in Azusa, Glendora and surrounding communities.
#SmokeAdvisory: Angeles National Forest firefighters are conducting a prescribed fire (planned fire) of brush piles near Rincon Fire Station and State Route 39. Smoke may be visible in Azusa, Glendora, and surrounding communities. pic.twitter.com/heYiw1HoLS
— Angeles National Forest (@Angeles_NF) April 29, 2025
City News Service contributed to this report.
Best of Deadline
'Ginny & Georgia' Season 3: Everything We Know So Far
Everything We Know About The 'Reminders of Him' Movie So Far
Everything We Know About 'The Phoenician Scheme' So Far
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Skydiving plane crashes in Tennessee with 20 people on board
The Brief Several people were injured after a skydiving plane crashed in Tennessee. Officials didn't say where the plane was headed or what caused the crash. A skydiving plane carrying 20 people crashed soon after taking off in Tennessee Sunday, authorities said. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, six people were injured, but officials said there were no casualties. What we know The crash happened Sunday afternoon in Tullahoma, Tennessee. RELATED: Deadly U.S. plane crashes in 2025: Timeline Officials said there were 20 people on board, including crew members, when the skydiving plane crashed shortly after takeoff. Police said six people were injured and flown to area hospitals. RELATED: U.S. issues 'do not travel' warning for 21 countries. What to know Video shared by Tennessee Highway Patrol shows the crash site with several plane parts scattered across a field. What we don't know It's unclear where the passengers were set to skydive or what caused the plane crash. The extent of the injuries is also unknown, but officials told People they appeared to be minor. What's next The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the cause. The Source This report includes information from Tennessee Highway Patrol and People.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tennessee skydiving plane crashes moments after takeoff, leaving multiple passengers injured
Several people are injured after a skydiving plane crashed in Tennessee on Sunday afternoon, according to the Tullahoma Police Department. The plane departed Tullahoma Regional Airport at approximately 12:30 p.m. and crashed shortly after takeoff, Tullahoma Community Engagement Officer Lyle Russell confirmed to Fox News Digital. There were 20 people, including crew members, on board when the plane crashed. "Happening Now: Coffee County - THP troopers are assisting @TullahomaPD at the scene of a plane crash on Old Shelbyville Road," the Tennessee Highway Patrol posted on X. Faa, Ntsb Investigating After 3 People Killed In Tennessee Plane Crash During a Sunday news conference, officials said that the plane had experienced an "unknown issue" shortly after takeoff that "resulted in an impact on trees and terrain." Read On The Fox News App Three people were taken to local hospitals for medical treatment via helicopter, while one victim was sent by ground transport for more serious injuries, Russell said. Other minor injuries were treated by first responders at the scene. There are no fatalities reported at this time. Faa Investigating Upstate New York Plane Crash With 6 People On Board "We are grateful the injuries were limited, and our hearts and minds are with those who went through this accident and their upcoming recovery," officials said during the news conference. The sheriff's office said the skydiving plane was a DeHaviland DH-6 Twin Otter. "No ground facilities or airport facilities were damaged and there were no injuries reported from the ground," officials added. Delta Up-side-down Plane Crash At Toronto Airport Marks North America's 4Th Major Aviation Disaster In A Month Authorities said this is an active scene and local officials will provide more updates as they become available. Officials are urging residents to avoid the area while the investigation continues. The FAA responded to the scene and is working with local airport personnel, officials said, adding that the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) will be taking over the article source: Tennessee skydiving plane crashes moments after takeoff, leaving multiple passengers injured
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Skydiving Plane Carrying 20 People Crashes in Tennessee
A small plane used for skydiving crashed near Tullahoma Regional Airport in Tennessee on June 8 Twenty people were on the plane, and no casualties have been reported, a spokesperson for the city of Tullahoma told PEOPLE 'There are some minor injuries. The scene is being secured by local authorities while FAA officials are en route to continue the investigation,' the spokesperson addedA small plane used for skydiving has crashed in Tennessee. The plane crashed soon after it left Tullahoma Regional Airport at around 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 8, according to Lyle Russell, a spokesperson for the city of Tullahoma, which is about 75 miles south of Nashville. The spokesperson said in a statement to PEOPLE that 20 people, including crew members and passengers, were aboard the aircraft when it crashed. "There were no casualties," Russell said. "There are some minor injuries. The scene is being secured by local authorities while FAA officials are en route to continue the investigation." The Tennessee Highway Patrol said on social media that several of those people were airlifted to nearby hospitals and that the plane landed near the town's Old Shelbyville Road. 'Three were sent for medical treatment via helicopter and one sent by ground transport for more serious injuries to local hospitals," Russell said. "Other minor injuries were treated by first responders on scene.' 'The plane involved was a skydiving plane, a DeHaviland DH-6 Twin Otter,' Russell added. 'No ground facilities or airport facilities were damaged and there were no injuries were reported from the ground." Social media footage shared by the highway patrol shows the small plane broken down with lots of parts missing as it sits in an open grassy field. Law enforcement vehicles and fire trucks can be seen surrounding the plane, which seemingly had part of its wings snapped off in the crash. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. This crash comes amid of concerns about plane crashes in the U.S., following a number of both private and commercial crashes this year. One of the most significant of these came in January, when American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army helicopter collided over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., killing 67 people. Read the original article on People
