The devastating wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles in early January 2024, leaving a trail of destruction across nearly 30,000 acres, may have been exacerbated by a series of missteps by the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), according to a detailed timeline compiled by the Washington Post. The timeline suggests a delayed response to the initial fire report, potentially allowing a small, manageable blaze to escalate into a raging inferno, fueled by strong winds and dry conditions. Furthermore, evidence points to a previous New Year’s Eve fire in the same location, the Lachman Fire, which may not have been fully extinguished, smoldering for days and ultimately reigniting to become the larger, more destructive blaze. This raises serious questions about the LAFD’s initial containment efforts and their preparedness for the subsequent outbreak.
The timeline begins on New Year’s Eve with the Lachman Fire, reported northeast of Pacific Palisades. LAFD firefighters responded and reportedly contained the fire after it consumed eight acres. However, satellite imagery and witness accounts suggest the fire may have continued to smolder beneath the surface, undetected or underestimated by the fire department. This smoldering ember theory posits that the Lachman Fire, inadequately extinguished, laid the groundwork for the larger conflagration that erupted days later. This raises concerns about the thoroughness of the initial containment efforts and the potential for overlooked risks in seemingly extinguished fires.
The second act of this fire tragedy unfolds on January 7th. Around 10:15 a.m., a Pacific Palisades resident, Michel Valentine, spotted smoke near the site of the earlier Lachman Fire. His wife promptly contacted 911 to report the emerging threat. However, the LAFD’s response appears to have been delayed. According to radio traffic recorded by the Washington Post, firefighters acknowledged the smoke report but indicated they were diverted by two other ongoing fires. This delay, estimated to be at least 45 minutes from the initial report to the arrival of the first fire crews, proved critical. During this crucial window, the fire, driven by strong winds, rapidly expanded, growing from a manageable size to over 10 acres.
The situation rapidly deteriorated as the fire, now dubbed a major incident, exploded in size. Radio communications captured firefighters expressing concern about the fire’s rapid spread, fueled by the wind, and its potential to consume vast acreage. By 11:28 a.m., less than an hour after the initial report, the fire had ballooned to 200 acres, demonstrating the devastating speed at which the blaze was consuming the dry brush and vegetation. The first fire trucks reportedly arrived at Valentine’s neighborhood between 11:30 and 11:45 a.m., a significant delay that allowed the fire to gain an almost insurmountable advantage.
As the fire raged uncontrolled, evacuation orders were issued for the Pacific Palisades area at 12:20 p.m. By 1:40 p.m., the LAFD reported the fire had grown to approximately 300 acres and continued to expand. The fire’s relentless march continued throughout the afternoon and evening, relentlessly consuming everything in its path. By 7:30 p.m., the fire had grown to nearly 3,000 acres, demonstrating the catastrophic consequences of the delayed response and the potentially inadequate extinguishment of the earlier Lachman Fire. By 9:00 p.m., the fire had reached the heart of Pacific Palisades, threatening homes and businesses and forcing thousands to flee.
The Washington Post’s investigation raises serious questions about the LAFD’s handling of the initial Lachman Fire and their subsequent response to the reignited blaze. The potential for a smoldering fire, left unattended or underestimated, to erupt into a major wildfire underscores the need for thorough containment procedures and vigilant monitoring of previously burned areas. Furthermore, the delayed response to the January 7th fire, attributed in part to resource allocation issues due to other ongoing fires, highlights the challenges faced by firefighting agencies in managing multiple incidents concurrently. This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of even seemingly small delays in responding to wildfires, particularly in dry, windy conditions, and the importance of robust fire prevention and suppression strategies. The investigation’s findings call for a thorough review of firefighting protocols and resource allocation strategies to prevent future catastrophes of this magnitude.
