The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the cause of the Palisades fire, the first of several blazes to devastate the Los Angeles area over the past week.
Why It Matters
The fires in Southern California have killed at least 24 people while burning tens of thousands of acres, destroying over 12,000 structures in the Los Angeles area and forcing hundreds of thousands of residents to evacuate.
While the cause of the Palisades fire and most of the other fires are unknown, the ATF says that it is the only federal agency that investigates fires and potential arson as part of its core mission.
What To Know
ATF said in a press release on Monday that its National Response Team (NRT) was being "deployed to investigate the Pacific Palisades fire," announcing that 15 new "ATF investigators from around the country arrived in Los Angeles over the weekend" and were "reinforcing ATF-certified fire investigators (CFIs) already working alongside local, state, and federal agencies."
"In addition to CFIs, the team is comprised of special agents, chemists, engineers, and investigative research specialists," the release continues. "Their mission will be to conduct an origin and cause examination of the Pacific Palisades fire... The team's swift arrival and unparalleled expertise highlight ATF's commitment to supporting communities affected by this tragedy."
ATF said that the NRT's investigation would be conducted with two teams assigned to "two synchronized components," with one team examining physical evidence from the scene of the fire and other team looking into external clues like "surveillance footage, digital evidence, and witness statements."
The announcement investigation is only looking into the origin of the Palisades fire, although at least two other major fires—the Eaton fire and the Hurst fire—were still burning in Southern California as of Monday night.
What People Are Saying
ATF Public Information Officer Ginger Colbrun, in an email to Newsweek on Monday night: "ATF certified fire investigators did an initial assessment of the area on Friday but the investigation has just begun. We had additional expertise arrive over the weekend and the team started processing the scene today. Among those who arrived on our National Response Team are additional certified fire investigators who specifically have Wildland Fire Investigator certification.
People want and deserve answers. However, it is way too early to speculate on the cause and origin. We will look at all and any leads."
Brice McCracken, the ATF's special agent in charge of the National Center for Explosives Training and Research, in a statement: "The NRT brings a wealth of experience and expertise to these types of investigations. The NRT is committed to working closely with our partners to determine the origin and cause of the Pacific Palisades Fire."
Jose Medina, the acting special agent in charge of the ATF's Los Angeles Field Division, in a statement: "ATF is fully dedicated to providing answers to the Pacific Palisades community. These wildfires have caused immeasurable heartbreak and losses. ATF is determined to leverage every available resource to deliver a thorough and transparent investigation."
What Happens Next
Firefighters are continuing to fight the Palisades fire, which had burned over 23,700 acres and was at just 14 percent contained as of Monday evening, according to Cal Fire. The ATF investigation into the cause of the fire is likely to continue past the point when the fire is finally extinguished.
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