A new investigative report from the LA Times suggests that the catastrophic Palisades fire in January—which killed 12 people, burned nearly 7,000 structures, and caused tens of billions of dollars in damages—may have been preventable. The report reveals that firefighters were ordered to leave a smoldering burn site just days before the inferno erupted.
Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Paul Pringle, who co-authored the LA Times piece, joined CNN’s Elex Michaelson Thursday to break down the key findings of his reporting.
Firefighters Sounded Alarm Before Being Ordered Out
Pringle explained that the massive January 7th blaze is believed to have originated from a smaller fire that occurred on January 1st. On January 2nd, the day after the initial blaze, fire crews on the ground observed that the “ground is still smoldering in places,” “rocks are hot to the touch,” and “tree stumps are smoking.”
Despite the clear signs that the fire was not fully extinguished, the firefighters were reportedly ordered by their battalion chief to “pack up their hoses and leave.”
“Everyone we spoke to said they should not have left, should not have been ordered to leave,” Pringle stated, noting that routine practice dictates staying longer to watch the burn scar and keep hoses deployed.
The report concludes that when “unprecedented” and “life-threatening” winds arrived on January 7th, they picked up the residual embers left behind, triggering the massive Palisades fire. Pringle also highlighted a failure to pre-deploy extra equipment and personnel to the Palisades, despite severe weather warnings.
The LA Fire Department has not provided an official comment on the reporting.
Rick Caruso Calls for Independent Commission
Businessman and philanthropist Rick Caruso joined the discussion to offer his reaction to the report, calling it a “devastating story.”
Caruso praised the investigative journalism for holding people in power accountable, stating that the new evidence “now know[s] very clearly… the fire could have been prevented, had there been the right leadership involved.”
When discussing accountability for the systemic failures, Caruso called for the establishment of an independent commission to thoroughly investigate the incident.
“We all need to know exactly what happened before the fire, during the fire and after the fire,” Caruso stated. “And then we need to make sure we have solutions to all of these problems, so we make sure it never happens again.”
He also pointed out that the Fire Department has been underfunded for years and that the disaster was “so easily preventable.” Caruso, who has been considering a run for mayor or governor, noted that incidents like this “motivate me even more” to seek a leadership role.
READ: Man Arrested In Florida For Igniting Deadly California Wildfires Pushed Climate Change Agenda
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