LA Firefighters Ordered to Abandon Burning Blaze Before It Became One of California's Deadliest Fires
A scathing report has revealed that Los Angeles firefighters were instructed to leave a small brush fire unattended on January 2, even as they warned their superiors that the blaze was still smoldering and posed a significant risk. The decision would prove catastrophic, ultimately contributing to one of the deadliest fires in California's history.
According to shocking text messages obtained by the Los Angeles Times, battalion chief ordered the crew to roll up their hoses and "ditch" the area, despite firefighters' objections that the rocks and ground were still hot to the touch. "And the rest is history," wrote a firefighter, who had initially expressed concerns about abandoning the blaze.
The Palisades fire, which raged for 24 days, was later attributed to an undetectable holdover fire reactivated by strong winds. The initial blaze, known as the Lachman fire, was deliberately set on New Year's Day. Investigators say that firefighters remained in the area for more than 36 hours, but their efforts may have inadvertently allowed the embers to reignite.
The report raises questions about the Los Angeles Fire Department's (LAFD) response to the crisis and whether they adequately addressed the safety concerns raised by their own personnel. Interim LAFD Chief Ronnie Villanueva has attributed the fire to "extraordinary wind conditions," but critics argue that his department's actions, or lack thereof, were instrumental in allowing the blaze to spread.
The incident has sparked a Senate probe into the LAFD's response and handling of the crisis. Former Pacific Palisades resident Jonathan Rinderknecht has already been charged with setting the initial Lachman fire. As the investigation continues, officials are grappling with the devastating consequences of a preventable tragedy, which claimed 12 lives and destroyed thousands of homes.
A scathing report has revealed that Los Angeles firefighters were instructed to leave a small brush fire unattended on January 2, even as they warned their superiors that the blaze was still smoldering and posed a significant risk. The decision would prove catastrophic, ultimately contributing to one of the deadliest fires in California's history.
According to shocking text messages obtained by the Los Angeles Times, battalion chief ordered the crew to roll up their hoses and "ditch" the area, despite firefighters' objections that the rocks and ground were still hot to the touch. "And the rest is history," wrote a firefighter, who had initially expressed concerns about abandoning the blaze.
The Palisades fire, which raged for 24 days, was later attributed to an undetectable holdover fire reactivated by strong winds. The initial blaze, known as the Lachman fire, was deliberately set on New Year's Day. Investigators say that firefighters remained in the area for more than 36 hours, but their efforts may have inadvertently allowed the embers to reignite.
The report raises questions about the Los Angeles Fire Department's (LAFD) response to the crisis and whether they adequately addressed the safety concerns raised by their own personnel. Interim LAFD Chief Ronnie Villanueva has attributed the fire to "extraordinary wind conditions," but critics argue that his department's actions, or lack thereof, were instrumental in allowing the blaze to spread.
The incident has sparked a Senate probe into the LAFD's response and handling of the crisis. Former Pacific Palisades resident Jonathan Rinderknecht has already been charged with setting the initial Lachman fire. As the investigation continues, officials are grappling with the devastating consequences of a preventable tragedy, which claimed 12 lives and destroyed thousands of homes.
can't believe what happened here. So firefighters are literally told to leave a burning blaze behind because their bosses don't think it's a big deal despite them saying its still smoldering. That's insane! 
If only they had listened to the firefighters, who were trying to warn them about the dangers of leaving it unattended. This incident is just a massive failure of communication and leadership. The fact that it was an undetectable holdover fire reactivated by strong winds just adds insult to injury. It's crazy that this many people lost their lives due to such negligence. 
. I'm all for accountability, so it's good that there's a Senate probe into this mess, but how many more people have to get hurt before someone takes responsibility? It's just not right 
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firefighters in hazmat suits running away from a burning building
shouldn't be able to just leave a burning wildfire unattended, especially when people are nearby 
and now 12 lives are lost & thousands of homes destroyed 
totally unacceptable...
. And those text messages are wild - "ditch" the area? What kind of training is that?! 
This is just devastating... what was going through those firefighters' minds when they were told to abandon the blaze? I mean, rocks and ground still hot to the touch? That's basic common sense! It's like, you know, when you're out on a call and it's clear that there's still a fire raging somewhere in the area... you don't just 'ditch' it. The fact that they were ordered to do so by their superiors is just mind-boggling.
... 12 lives lost and thousands of homes destroyed... it's just devastating 
... as a parent, it's hard not to think about all the families who were affected by this tragedy and how they're going to move forward without their loved ones 
. We need to learn from this and make sure that our emergency services are better equipped to handle situations like this.
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. We need to make sure that our first responders are prepared and equipped to handle emergencies like this, and that we're learning from past mistakes so we don't repeat them in the future 
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. I mean, think about it - a small brush fire that gets left unattended because some high-ups were too worried to get involved in the details? It's like they were playing with fire (literally) and expected everyone else to deal with the consequences. I'm not buying the whole "extraordinary wind conditions" excuse either... sounds like cover-up material to me