How Did Palisades Fire Start That Engulfed Los Angeles? Reports Suggest May Be It NYE Fireworks

Last Updated:January 13, 2025, 09:52 IST

In the satellite image captured 20 minutes after the Palisades Fire broke out, the smoke was seen rising from the same area where the fire had started on New Year’s Eve

The fireworks lit on the New Year’s Eve may have started the devastating Palisades Fire (Source: Reuters)

In a new report, it has been revealed that the Palisades Fire which killed at least 24 people and destroyed several homes – burning them to the ground – in Los Angeles may have started because of the fireworks which were set off on New Year’s Eve.

Strong and wild winds may have reignited the remnants fire which broke out on New Year’s Eve six days after it was doused, reported the Washington Post.

With the help of radio communications, satellite images, videos and some interviews, the newspaper found that the deadly Palisades Fire had started in the same area where the firefighters had doused the fire that got caught because of the fireworks.

When the second blaze broke out, the firefighters were slow in response and it soon turned out to be the most destructive wildfire in the history of California.

Slow Response To Fire, Busy Telephone Lines: How LAFD Failed Residents?

Speaking to The Washington Post, the residents complained that first responders took a lot of time to respond to the Palisades Fire when it first started on Tuesday.

The residents said that the first time they swiftly and impressively responded to the fire, however, the firefighters were much slower the second time.

Speaking to The Washington Post, resident Michael Valentine and his wife each called the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) to report what was most probably the beginnings of the Palisades Fire.

But the line was busy and the couple was forced to wait.

The LAFD firefighters were at that time engaged in tackling fire in other parts of the city, as per the Washington Post.

The residents saw a helicopter, which was carrying water, flying and trying to respond to the fire but it failed because of the high winds.

The residents claimed that another helicopter took 45 minutes to reach the site but it did not have any water.

The satellite images taken 20 minutes after the Palisades Fire started indicated that the smoke had risen from the same area where there was a burn scar from the New Year’s Eve fire.

One resident has claimed that the wildfire was actually started on New Year’s Eve by some “idiots".

He claimed that the fireworks were lit off by people late at night to celebrate New Year, something they were not supposed to do.

However, there is no definitive evidence or report which claims that the Palisades Fire’s origin lies in the New Year’s Eve blaze and the investigators are still looking for the cause.

Los Angeles, United States of America (USA)

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