Four months after January’s deadly Palisades Fire, Investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) returned this week to conduct a controlled fire test along the Temescal Ridge Trail.
The test started Tuesday night and wrapped up around 3 a.m. Testing will continue intermittently through Thursday along the Green Peak and Skull Rock trailhead.
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WATCH HEREThe Los Angeles Fire Department said they would be there, before, during, and after testing to protect both the environment and the community.
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SIGN UP “The public should avoid this area during that time. Certainly, we appreciate your understanding and cooperation, but we just wanted to inform the public that if you see flames on the hillside in that area, there’s no cause for concern. There’s no need to contact 911,” said LAFD Captain Erik Scott.
The cause of the Palisades Fire is still under investigation, but some believe it could be connected to a fire that started on New Year's Day, which burned less than 10 acres and was possibly sparked by fireworks. That fire was extinguished early that morning.
This week’s testing is planned for the same area behind the homes in Palisades Highlands.
"We’ve had so many fires in the past, and we’ve always been OK, so when I left to go to work on Tuesday morning, and then got stuck where I was, I still thought we’d be OK,” said Lisa Janney, Palisades resident.
ATF investigators were seen in this same area back in January, just days after the Palisades fire began.
Jose Medina, ATF acting special agent in charge at the time, said roughly 75 dedicated team members were working on finding the cause and origin of the fire.
“All of this is going to take time. We know everyone wants answers. We know everyone wants answers, and the community deserves answers. ATF will give you those answers, but it will be once we complete a thorough investigation. We have no timeline on when this will occur,” said Medina during a press conference on January 14.
Pali Strong, a community-led group of Palisades locals, asked neighbors to help pass along the message about the fire testing.
“It was a concern because we know that a lot of people have suffered trauma over the last months,” said Larry Vein, executive director of Pali Strong.
ATF did not respond to tonight’s fire testing. However, councilmember Traci Park, who represents the area, posted on Instagram that the burn is expected to last from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. each night.
