January 16, 2025
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How do fire investigators track the source of Los Angeles wildfires?
Wildfires like the Los Angeles fires cause a lot of damage, but often leave no evidence of what caused them.
A firefighting helicopter releases water around Mandeville Canyon and Encino, California, on January 11, 2025.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
As firefighters continue to extinguish a blaze that has destroyed thousands of structures in the Los Angeles area, fire investigators are already trying to figure out how the blaze started.
Local news agencies reported that investigators have closed off roads near possible blazes in the Palisades-Highlands area of Los Angeles, where the Palisades Fire, the largest fire in the region, broke out. There is. The investigation is in its early stages, but as with other wildfires, authorities may be able to determine the cause. Fires occur in many different ways. Lightning strikes can occur naturally, but more often they are caused by some human means, such as sparks from downed power lines, discarded cigarette butts, poorly lit campfires, or even arson. It may also occur. Between 1992 and 2012, 84% of all U.S. wildfires were human-caused.
There were no thunderstorms in the Los Angeles area when the fire started, so investigators will look into human causes. Early sights are centered around Skull Rock, a landmark near a popular hiking trail on Palisades Highlands, according to crime scene tape, police and reporters who witnessed the road closure near the trailhead. There was a small fire at the site on New Year’s Day, but it was quickly extinguished. Fires leave embers that can be rekindled by wind, but Skull Rock also has a lot of power lines and foot traffic, leaving many possibilities open. (See photos of the Los Angeles fires)
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Meanwhile, the investigation into the Eaton Fire, the second-largest recent blaze in the Los Angeles area, is now reportedly focused on power transmission equipment in Eaton Canyon. Los Angeles Times.
Bob Duvall is a fire investigator and regional director for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an international nonprofit organization. NFPA 921: Fire and Explosion Investigation Guide. It’s the closest thing a fire investigator has to a Bible, with instructions on how to determine the cause of everything from house fires to fires that tear through miles of forest. Duvall spoke. scientific american How to investigate fires like the one that devastated the Los Angeles area.
(An edited transcript of the interview follows:. )
How do investigations like the one currently underway in the Los Angeles area typically begin?
In densely populated areas, motorists may report seeing flames or smoke on the side of the road. Highways may have surveillance cameras or traffic cameras installed. There are commercial airline pilots. Based on eyewitness testimony and evidence, can you pinpoint where the power grid seems to have suddenly failed? If you have thousands of acres, narrow it down to 10 or 15 acres on this mountain or side of the street. So, can you take it out of there? You have to do it systematically.
And then there are the people who go to the field. Look at the pattern. Which direction did the fire come from? You see a large tree. Which side of the tree is burned? Is the burn pattern upward or downward? Look at the crown, pine needles, and leaves. What can we tell about the direction of the fire?Next, we look at the terrain. The wind on one side of the hill is different than the wind on the other side. There are valleys and roads, all of which affect the spread of a fire.
Once all the evidence has been systematically collected, it will lead us back to where the fire started. Then start looking for the cause within that area.
We assume everything will be destroyed in the fire, but it looks like some evidence may be left behind.
It is a common misconception that everything is destroyed when a fire investigation takes place. That’s why people have the misconception that if they commit a crime, they can cover it up by setting fire to a building. Well, it may hide some evidence, but it also creates a lot of evidence.
For example, in the case of a campfire (one that has gotten out of control), look for the following: Were they piling up wood, brush, twigs, etc? Did they crumple up paper? Did they put stones around it to contain it? Check to see if the ground is well-trodden, like someone has been there for a while.
Is this a common trail used by motorcycles and ATVs (all-terrain vehicles)? Is there evidence of smoking? Was someone cleaning the brush? Has anyone been shooting or hunting in an area where sparks from firearms or hot shells could have caused a fire? Has anyone reported hearing or seeing fireworks in the area? Do you have it?
Another possible cause is arson. That may be a little difficult. If it’s a lighter, someone might just put it back in their pocket and walk out of the woods. Fires may become indeterminate. This is the official term used when the area of origin is known but the cause cannot be determined.
Is there a difference between investigating a wildfire such as the Los Angeles fires and investigating a fire that occurs inside a building?
Yes and no. Both of these fields create patterns that researchers use to identify areas of occurrence. When you think of a house or an apartment building, there are several sections. But in the case of wildfires, there are no compartments. It’s wide open. There is infinite air. Wind can affect building fires. But in the wilderness, the wind is the driving force behind everything you do, so it becomes an important factor. Many deaths occur during wildland firefighting operations as winds push the fire up and threaten the lives of firefighters.
How long does an investigation typically take?
It may take many months. I think Californians are really doing the job they deserve. Reports require a variety of reviews. They will want to make sure everything is completed as much as possible. Whether it’s a $10 fire or a $100 million fire,[the process]should be completely different. Research should still be conducted systematically and on a book-based basis. However, you can imagine that these reports will be subject to intense scrutiny, as there is potential for civil damages here.
