Los Angeles wildfires: What caused the Pacific Palisades blaze? New analysis reveals THIS connection

As Los Angeles continues to battle the wildfires that killed at least 24 people, destroyed 12,000 homes, and scorched grounds of 40,000 acres of land, and forced millions of people to evacuate, the major question that arises now is what ignited these blazes.

The firefighters and emergency responders, including the National Guard, have been fighting to bring these flames under control and restore the lives to normalcy.

However, the cause behind the fire has not been officially revealed.

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But, according to a report by The Washington Post, the blaze commenced when an earlier fire caused by New Year's Eve fireworks was rekindled.

Initially, the infernos erupted on Tuesday (Jan 7), which came to be known as the Palisades Fire after it destroyed the affluent neighbourhood of Pacific Palisades, which is home to many Hollywood celebrities and popular faces.

The report further stated that the area's strong Santa Ana winds may have served to reignite that fire after it lay smouldering undetected underground or within the wood in the week after it was first put out, which turned it into a much larger disaster.

According to the report, the new fire started in the vicinity of the old fire, which sometimes occurs in windy conditions, experts said.

Further, the firefighters' response on Tuesday was much slower than that on New Year's Eve, residents told The Washington Post.

'Certainly possible'

“We know that fires rekindle and transition from smoldering to flaming,” Michael Gollner, a fire scientist at the University of California at Berkeley who reviewed The Post’s materials, said.

“It’s certainly possible that something from that previous fire, within a week, had rekindled and caused the ignition," Gollner added.

According to the officials, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is leading the investigation.

ATF spokesperson said, “ATF-certified fire investigators did an initial survey of the area, but the investigation has not begun.” In response to questions about reignition as a possible cause, the LAFD said, “This is an ongoing, active investigation and the team will not comment on an ongoing investigation.”

(With inputs from agencies)