5 months ago
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LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – A beloved hiking spot northbound of Sunset Boulevard successful Pacific Palisades on the Temescal Ridge way is reportedly a constituent of involvement for investigators looking into the origins of the costliest wildfire successful the past of Los Angeles.
The country successful question, adjacent Via Las Palmas and Via La Costa successful the Palisades-Highland community, is little than a mile from Piedra Morada, wherever the occurrence was reported connected Jan. 7 astatine astir 10:30 a.m.
The trail, which offers expansive views of the Pacific Ocean, is location to Skull Rock Trailhead, named for a skeletal-shaped stone on the route.
Aerial footage of the country captured by NewsNation affiliate KTLA's Sky5 connected Monday showed much than a twelve investigators riding and walking the area, presumably looking for an ignition constituent for the Palisades Fire.
Investigators seen walking an country disconnected the Temescal Ridge way successful Pacific Palisdes connected Jan. 13, 2025. (KTLA)
An country on the Temescal Ridge way cordoned disconnected by yellowish transgression country portion seen from Sky5 connected Jan. 13, 2025. (KTLA)One country on the route, astir respective stone formations and adjacent a disposable pain scar, was cordoned disconnected with yellowish transgression country tape, footage showed.
While the origin of the occurrence and its starting constituent stay nether investigation, the wide country astir Skull Rock was the tract of a tiny New Year’s Eve brushwood fire, reportedly ignited by fireworks, that burned for respective hours earlier being extinguished by a water-dropping helicopter, the Los Angeles Times reported. (A adjacent nonmigratory besides told The New York Times that helium observed a haze implicit that country — though nary flames — connected Jan. 7, but doubted that immoderate brushwood from the New Year's Eve occurrence could inactive beryllium smoldering.)
Because the determination is frequented by the public, sources acquainted with the probe told the L.A. Times it’s imaginable the Palisades Fire started successful the aforesaid spot, and added that “it appears to person quality origins,” though the probe is successful its aboriginal stages.
Investigators are apt looking into whether the Palisades Fire could person been a rekindling of the alleged fireworks-related occurrence connected New Year’s Eve arsenic good arsenic scorched power-line poles successful the area.
“There’s been nary definitive determination that it is arson astatine this point, but we are looking astatine each angle,” LAPD Asst. Chief Dominic Choi said, arsenic reported by the L.A. Times.
As of Cal Fire’s latest update astatine 5:30 p.m., the Palisades Fire, which has claimed the lives of 8 radical and destroyed astatine slightest 10,000 structures, is 23,713 acres and 14% contained.
More information astir mandatory and voluntary evacuations tin beryllium recovered tin beryllium recovered connected L.A. County’s exigency effect website.
