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| Thousands of homes and businesses have been destroyed in the Los Angeles wildfires | Photo: AFP |
Investigators are investigating the possible causes of a deadly wildfire in Los Angeles, California, that has killed at least 11 people and destroyed thousands of houses.
The Pacific Palisades neighborhood, home to Hollywood stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Billy Crystal, has been devastated by a wildfire that has engulfed homes. Officials say the blaze, which was caused by strong winds, started behind a home on Piedra Morada Drive in Pacific Palisades.
Lightning is a major factor in the start of wildfires in the United States, according to the National Fire Protection Association. However, investigators believe that this was not the case in the California fires.
The California wildfires have started in eastern Los Angeles. There have been no reports of lightning strikes near the Palisades area or the Eaton fire area, where hundreds of homes have been destroyed.
Then comes the topic of two other common causes. One of them is deliberate arson and sparks on electrical lines.
John Lentini, who has experience investigating major wildfires in California, including the 1991 Oakland Hills fire, and is the owner of Scientific Fire Analysis in Florida, said that changing fire sizes does not necessarily mean changing the way investigators investigate their causes.
Lentini added, "This was once a small-scale fire. People will be more focused on determining where the fire started, what the source of the fire is, examining the area around the source and determining its cause."
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| Water is being dropped from a helicopter to extinguish the fire | Photo: AFP |
So far, there has been no indication of arson in the fire. There is also no indication that the fire started from an electrical line.
Terry Prosper, communications director for the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), said authorities are required to notify the commission via email if they suspect an electrical connection to a fire. CPUC staff then investigates whether state law has been violated.
One of the largest wildfires in California's history occurred in 2017. The fire was started by a spark from a power line owned by Southern California Edison Power Company. Investigators said at the time that the fire was caused by an electrical spark in high winds. The incident killed two people and burned more than 440 square miles.
Electric utility company Southern California Edison submitted a report to the CPUC on Friday about the wildfire in the Eaton area near Pasadena.
Edison officials say there is no indication that any of their equipment was involved in the fire, but they issued the report out of caution after receiving a notice to preserve evidence from the insurance company's lawyers.
In addition to lightning strikes, arson, and power lines, fires can sometimes be started by burning garbage and setting off fireworks. In addition, fires can spread from numerous sources, including accidents.
According to BBC News, in 2020, a couple set off a large fire at an event when they were setting off special fireworks that produced a lot of smoke. About 36 square miles of area burned. Five homes and 15 other buildings were destroyed. One firefighter lost his life in the incident.
The fires in the Eaton and Palisades areas are still burning. They were somewhat contained by yesterday. Winds have dropped. But there is no rain forecast. The fires are burning miles and miles of dry land.
Lentini said the fires could only be stopped if the weather changed.