“From the moment firestorms erupted in Los Angeles County on Tuesday, January 7, it was clear our public infrastructure would be put under tremendous strain,” Newsom said in a letter on Friday to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP).
Newsom called it ‘deeply troubling’ and noted that losing power to hydrants as the fire engulfed several houses in Los Angeles “likely impaired” recovery efforts.
California wildfire: What are investigators saying?
As of now, the fire officials are assessing the damage and determining the cause of the multiple fires in the region.
In Pacific Palisades, which is a hilly, upscale region, officials have placed the origin of the blaze behind a home on the Piedra Morada Drive that sits above a densely wooded arroyo, news agency Associated Press reported.
It must be noted that this area is home to several Hollywood stars like Jamie Lee Curtis and Billy Crystal, who have lost their houses in the fire.
‘Caught on camera’
According to DailyMail, two men were filmed on camera dumping gasoline and setting it alight. This happened immediately before the Palisades fire broke out.
A resident of the area reported this video to a senior firefighter after the flames started consuming the area. “By then we were too busy…We told him to take the video to the police,” the firefighter told the news outlet.
As per the National Fire Protection Association, lightning appears as the most common source of fires in the US. However, this time the investigators have ruled out that possibility.
According to AP, no reports have indicated lightning activity in the Palisades area or the terrain surrounding the Eaton Fire, which originated in the eastern part of Los Angeles County and has destroyed hundreds of homes.
The other two most common causes are fires that are intentionally set or those sparked by utility lines.
John Lentini, owner of Scientific Fire Analysis in Florida, said the size and scope of the California wildfire does not change the approach to finding out the causes behind it.
“This was once a small fire… People will focus on where the fire started, determine the origin and look around the origin and determine the cause,” said Lentini.
As of now, there hasn’t been any official indication of arson in either of the wildfires, while utility lines have also not been identified as a major cause either.
California Public Utilities Commission’s communications director Terrie Prosper said that utilities have to report to the commission after becoming aware of “electric incidents potentially associated with a wildfire”. Thereafter, CPUC staff investigates to look out for any violations of state law.
It may be recalled that the Thomas Fire in 2017 was sparked by Southern California Edison power lines which came into contact during high wind speed. At that time, two people were killed.
Southern California Edison filed a report with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Friday regarding the Eaton Fire, stating that it has not received any indications that its equipment was involved in igniting the blaze. The company clarified that the report was submitted “out of an abundance of caution” following the receipt of evidence preservation notices.
Besides lightning, arson and utility lines, some of the other common causes include debris burning and fireworks.
