Investigators are probing a multitude of potential spark sources for the devastating fires that have claimed at least ten lives and ravaged thousands of homes and businesses across the Los Angeles vicinity. In the picturesque, affluent neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, where celebrities such as Jamie Lee Curtis and Billy Crystal lost their residences to the inferno, authorities have pinpointed the origin of the wind-fueled blaze to a home situated on Piedra Morada Drive, overlooking a heavily wooded gorge.
While lightning is typically the most prevalent ignition factor in the United States, as stated by the National Fire Protection Association, investigators swiftly dismissed this possibility. There were no lightning reports in the Palisades area or the vicinity of the Eaton fire, which ignited in eastern Los Angeles County and likewise leveled hundreds of homes.
The next two leading suspects are arson and utility line-induced fires. John Lentini, the owner of Scientific Fire Analysis in Florida, who has delved into major California blazes, including the 1991 Oakland Hills fire, emphasized that the scale and magnitude of the fire do not alter the investigative approach. "This was a humble spark once," Lentini remarked. "Investigators will scrutinize the fire's inception point, ascertain its origin, survey the surroundings, and determine the underlying cause."
To date, there has been no official hint of arson in either blaze, nor have utility lines been confirmed as the culprit. Utility companies are mandated to report "electric incidents potentially linked to wildfires" to the California Public Utilities Commission, noted Terrie Prosper, the commission's communications director, via email. Subsequently, CPUC staff investigate for any state law violations.
The 2017 Thomas Fire, one of the largest in California's history, was ignited by Southern California Edison power lines that made contact during gusty winds, as determined by investigators. This blaze killed two individuals and scorched over 440 square miles (1,140 square kilometers), according to the Ventura County Fire Department-led investigation.
As of now, no such reports for the ongoing fires have been posted on the CPUC website that monitors such filings.
While lightning, arson, and utility lines are the most frequent culprits, debris burning and fireworks also frequently spark fires. However, fires can ignite from a myriad of sources, including accidents. In 2021, a couple's gender reveal stunt ignited a massive fire that engulfed nearly 36 square miles (about 90 square kilometers) of terrain, destroyed five homes and fifteen other structures, and claimed the life of firefighter Charlie Morton.
The Eaton and Palisades fires continued to burn uncontrollably on Thursday, with minimal containment. Although winds eased, the forecast remained dry as the flames swept through miles of arid landscapes. "It will extinguish itself when fuel runs out or when the weather changes," Lentini observed. "They cannot quell it until it's ready to die out."
