Palisades Fire investigators have gathered 150 leads as they probe cause, official says
Officials giving an update on the Palisades Fire on Wednesday said they have generated more than 150 leads as they probe the cause and progress of the blaze.
Jose Medina, acting special agent in charge of the ATF Los Angeles Field Division, said investigators are scouring video from state owned cameras that were in place in the area, from residents in the area and from social media posts.
Investigators have conducted interviews with individuals that initiated the 911 calls and the first responders to the Jan. 7 blaze, as well as the fire that was started in the area and put out on Jan. 1, he said.
Medina appealed to any hikers who were on nearby trails around Skull Rock on the morning of Jan. 7 to contact investigators. "We are talking to individuals about not just what they saw, but what they smelled and they heard," he said.
"Even if you were in the area and saw or smelled nothing that too could be valuable information," Medina said.
Asked if rekindling of the Jan. 1 fire appeared the most likely cause, Medina said investigators "are not leading towards anything right now. We're taking everything in evaluating all the evidence we received, but it's too early on in the investigation to make any determination."
Winds begin to relax, but forecast to return next week
Offshore Santa Ana winds will continue to diminish for the majority of Southern California on Thursday.
However, a red flag warning continues for the San Gabriel and Santa Susana mountains until 3 p.m. local time today.
By late afternoon, offshore winds are expected to increase humidity dramatically for coastal Southern California, with up to 60% in Pacific Palisades to nearly 70% in San Diego.
A marine layer and even some clouds could bring a chance for a sprinkle to Southern California late Thursday and into Friday.
The next Santa Ana wind event is forecast to begin Monday into Tuesday, but it is too early to say how strong the winds will be.
But it could be even drier next week, with relative humidity dropping well into single digits. The low humidity and strong winds have fueled the dangerous wildfires burning around Los Angeles.
