The Palisades fire, the largest and most destructive in Los Angeles history, is believed to be “human-caused” according to a new report cited by the Los Angeles Times. Authorities investigating the cause of the incident suggest it could have been an accident. The fire reportedly started near an overlook known as Skull Rock on the Temescal Ridge Trail in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. This area is particularly frequented by hikers and often serves as a gathering place for local teenagers, said those responsible for the investigation.
The blaze, which has been raging for almost a week, has already ravaged nearly 12,000 hectares and destroyed 5,000 structures. Investigators are examining a possible link to a small fire that occurred at the same location on New Year’s Eve, apparently caused by fireworks and quickly put out.
“The popularity of the location means that it is possible that another fire started in the area on Tuesday before escalating into the blaze that destroyed thousands of buildings across Los Angeles,” the sources cited by the Los Angeles Times.
This disaster comes as UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese recently drew a controversial parallel between the fires in Los Angeles and the conflict in Gaza, sparking strong reactions. In a message shared on social networks, she suggested that the two situations were “symptoms of the same disease: a system which favors conquest over conservation”.
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