Palisades Fire
🔥 Timeline & Origin
Ignition:
The Palisades Fire was first reported at approximately 10:30 a.m. PST on January 7, 2025, near the Temescal Ridge/Skull Rock trailhead in Pacific Palisades, part of the Santa Monica Mountains.
Potential Rekindle:
Investigators suspect it may have rekindled from a smaller fire near the same location that burned on January 1 (known as the Lachman Fire), possibly sparked by fireworks on New Year’s Day.
Conditions:
Fueled by an extreme Santa Ana wind event—with gusts up to 80–100 mph—and one of the driest nine-month periods on record, it exploded from ~10 acres to over 1,200 acres within the first hour.
👉 Spread & Containment
Rapid growth:
By midday January 7, it had surged to thousands of acres, driven by wind and steep terrain .
Evacuations:
Approximately 30,000 people were ordered to evacuate, including suburbs along Pacific Coast Highway.
Containment efforts:
Ground crews faced steep hills, erratic winds, and low water supply (many hydrants ran dry).
Containment timeline:
~14% contained as of January 13.
~68–79% contained by January 22–24.
Declared fully contained on January 31, 2025, after 24 days.
📏 Scope & Impact
Burned area:
~23,448 acres (~95 km²) of rugged terrain.
Structures:
Destroyed 6,837 structures, with over 1,000 additional damaged.
Casualties:
Resulted in 12 confirmed deaths and several injuries.
Evacuations:
Approximately 105,000–200,000 people evacuated from Palisades, Malibu, Altadena, and neighboring areas.
Historic scale:
Ranks as the third-most destructive wildfire in California, and the worst in Los Angeles city history.
🔍 Investigation & Ongoing Analysis
Cause:
Officially listed as "under investigation"—heat maps and ATF teams are probing whether it reignited from the January 1 fire’s embers.
Probable origin:
Investigators are focusing around Skull Rock trailhead in a burn scar area, assessing links to fireworks, smoldering debris, or power infrastructure.
Field work:
The ATF, CAL FIRE, LAPD, and LAFD are using drones, mapping, and on-the-ground forensics; no conclusive ignition source confirmed yet.
🧩 Broader Context
Weather link:
Part of a 14-fire series across SoCal from January 7–31, under record-breaking winds and drought.
Water challenges:
Many hydrants failed early due to depleted reservoir and infrastructure strains.
Recovery:
PCH reopened in early February; reconstruction and aid efforts—supported by FEMA and local agencies—are ongoing, though recovery may take years.
🧭 Summary Table
Start date:
Jan 7, 2025, ~10:30 a.m. PST
Location:
Near Temescal Ridge/Skull Rock, Pacific Palisades
Spread:
~23,448 acres over 24 days
Impact:
6,837 structures destroyed; 12 dead
Containment:
Achieved Jan 31, 2025
Cause:
Under investigation, potential rekindle from Jan 1 fire
Conditions:
Severe drought; Santa Ana winds; low water access
