Latest news with #U.S.BureauofAlcohol
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Controlled burn could help figure out how the Palisades Fire started
A controlled fire test being conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms that began Tuesday night may help investigators figure out the root cause of the devastating Palisades Fire. The testing is taking place in an isolated part of the Santa Monica Mountains just north of Pacific Palisades in the area where the fire was thought to have started. One theory investigators have is that a hotspot from a small fire that broke out on New Year's Day could be the root cause of the Palisades Fire. Although the flames were put out in a matter of hours, investigators have not ruled out the possibility of an underground hot spot igniting six days after the initial fire. Search for Los Angeles homicide suspect turns 'very worrisome' Nearby residents have received confirmation from officials, including L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, that the controlled burn being conducted will be constantly monitored. 'I hope people understand that they will be safe. This is completely controlled,' Bass said. 'I would anticipate – but I don't have specific information – that the ATF will announce the results in a couple of months.' One neighbor told KTLA that while the reassurance was comforting, the thought of another fire near his forever-altered community made him slightly uneasy. 'It's more comforting to know that they have [fire crews] here,' said Larry Vein. 'They are [conducting the controlled burn] in an isolated area…[but] for the community, who has gone through this trauma, it's better to have more information and know in advance.' The controlled burn testing will wrap up on Thursday night, according to the ATF. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
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. '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. 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. 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. 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
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
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 — 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 — 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… — 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. — 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
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Controlled fire testing to be conducted in Santa Monica Mountains
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms will be conducting controlled fire testing in the Santa Monica Mountains starting Tuesday. In a media advisory, Los Angeles Fire Department officials confirmed that the controlled burn would take place along Temescal Ridge Trail between Skull Rock and Green Peak. The testing will last from Tuesday evening until Thursday. Bear roaming Southern California neighborhood for over a week has residents on edge '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,' officials explained. 'LAFD personnel will be present before, during and after all testing to ensure public safety and environmental protection.' Nearby residents are advised not to call 911 if they see smoke or small testing flames that may be visible in the area between Tuesday and Thursday. Due to remote terrain and logistics, there will be no public or media access to the area. Aircraft and drone pilots are instructed to follow FAA-issued restrictions for local airspace. The area where the controlled burn is happening is near where the devastating Palisades Fire broke out on Jan. 7. It burned for 24 days, charred more than 23,000 acres and killed 12 civilians, according to Cal Fire. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
29-04-2025
- General
- New York Post
Memphis church pivotal in Martin Luther King Jr.'s final days suffers devastating fire: ‘Inside is a total loss'
A historic Black church in downtown Memphis that was the organizing point for Martin Luther King Jr.'s final campaign in 1968 caught fire early Monday morning and suffered significant damage. 'The inside is a total loss, but we're still somewhat hopeful that some of the facade will be able to be left standing,' Memphis Fire Chief Gina Sweat said at a Monday morning news conference. She said the fire was reported at 1:39 a.m. through a commercial alarm service. Local fire and police officers are investigating the cause, along with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is 'way too early' to know anything more, Sweat said. Advertisement 6 A historic Black church in downtown Memphis that was the organizing point for Martin Luther King Jr.'s final campaign caught fire early Monday morning. AP King was drawn to Memphis in 1968 to support some 1,300 predominantly Black sanitation workers who went on strike to protest inhumane treatment. Two workers had been crushed in a garbage compactor in 1964, but the faulty equipment had not been replaced. On Feb. 1, 1968, two more men, Echol Cole, 36, and Robert Walker, 30, were crushed in the compactor. Advertisement The two men were contract workers, so they did not qualify for workmen's compensation and had no life insurance. Workers wanted to unionize and fought for higher pay and safer working conditions. City officials declared the strike illegal and arrested scores of strikers and protesters. 6 'The inside is a total loss, but we're still somewhat hopeful that some of the facade will be able to be left standing,' Memphis Fire Chief Gina Sweat said at a news conference. FOX 13 Before the fire, the Clayborn Temple was undergoing a $25 million restoration that was slated for completion in 2026. The initiative aims to preserve the architectural and historical integrity of the Romanesque revival church and includes the restoration of a 3,000-pipe grand organ. Advertisement At the same time, the project seeks to help revitalize the local neighborhood with a museum, cultural programming, and community outreach, according to a news release on the renovation. 'This morning we woke up to heartbreaking news: a devastating fire has ravaged one of our city's greatest treasures, Clayborn Temple,' Memphis Mayor Paul Young wrote in a statement posted to social media. 'Clayborn is more than a historic building. 6 Local fire and police officers are investigating the cause, along with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. AP It is sacred ground. It is the beating heart of the civil rights movement, a symbol of struggle, hope, and triumph that belongs not just to Memphis but to the world.' Advertisement Just south of Beale Street, Clayborn Temple was built in 1892 as the Second Presbyterian Church and originally served an all-white congregation. In 1949, the building was sold to an African Methodist Episcopal congregation and renamed Clayborn Temple, according to the release. Memphis sanitation workers started striking in February 1968 after Cole and Walker were killed on the job. The Clayborn Temple hosted nightly meetings, and the campaign's iconic 'I AM A MAN' posters were made in its basement. The temple was also a staging point for marches to City Hall. They included a March 28, 1968, march led by King, a rally that turned violent when police and protesters clashed on the iconic Beale Street, and a 16-year-old was killed. 6 Sadyya Rockett-Miller and her husband, Andre LeMoyne Miller, grieve outside of the historic Clayborn Temple. AP When marchers retreated to the temple, police fired tear gas inside. People broke some of the stained-glass windows to escape. King promised to lead a second, peaceful march in Memphis, but he was killed by a sniper while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel on April 4. After King was assassinated and the strike ended with the workers securing a pay raise, the church's influence waned. It fell into disrepair and was vacant for years before the renovation effort that took off in 2017, thanks to a $400,000 grant from the National Park Service. Advertisement 6 Firefighters gather outside the damaged Clayborn Temple after a fire broke out. AP Clayborn Temple was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Anasa Troutman has been leading the restoration effort as executive director of Historic Clayborn Temple. 'To everyone who has loved, supported, and prayed for Historic Clayborn Temple, we are still committed to her restoration,' she wrote in a Monday statement urging supporters to donate money if they are able. Advertisement 6 Martin Luther King Jr. was drawn to Memphis in 1968 to support some 1,300 predominantly Black sanitation workers who went on strike to protest inhumane treatment. AP Jimmie Tucker, one of the architects who has worked on the restoration for years, spent Monday morning working on a plan to try to shore up the exterior walls. 'As a native Memphian, this project is personal,' he said. 'It has so much meaning.' Advertisement Tucker said he had been speaking to some of the people who helped after a similar Memphis fire at First United Methodist Church in 2006. He said that the project gives him hope because they were able to rebuild. He was also encouraged that the mayor pledged to support the project. Young said in a social media statement that the city will 'help ensure this sacred place rises again.'
