NEW: Suspected Cause For Devastating Palisades Wildfire Revealed, Crushes Democrat Narrative

An exhaustive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the Palisades wildfires is suggesting a multi-level failure by firefighting authorities to contain  what may have initially been a preventable outbreak, shooting holes in theories proffered by California Democrats that they were powerless to stop the devastating results of climate change.

After nearly a week, wildfires in the Los Angeles enclave have killed at least 24 and decimated more than 12,000 homes, many owned by the rich and famous who support the city’s tax base with generous, mandatory contributions. Firefighters managed to contain approximately 11% of the outbreak over the weekend, but an investigation of satellite images in the days prior to the first flames may indicate that tragedy could have been prevented with a few enhanced fire prevention measures by the Los Angeles Fire Department. Days before the fire broke out, authorities were busy working to contain an outbreak they believe was set on New Year’s Eve through the illegal use of fireworks. Dispatches between firefighters on January 7th, the first day the Palisades fire was spotted, reveal that signs of smoke were first detected in a familiar sliver of mountain ridge.

“The foot of the fire started real close to where the last fire was on New Year’s Eve,” reads a communiqué from one LAFD firefighter to another, according to transcripts reviewed by the Washington Post. “It looks like it’s going to make a good run,” one firefighter replied to dispatch. Their visuals have sent state and federal officials into the site in recent days as they scour for the source of the outbreak which fire experts say may have been caused by a “reignition,” or the start of an earlier fire most likely due to increased wind in the period following New Year’s Day. Residents told the Post that investigators’ response has been much slower this time around compared to their quick reaction on New Year’s Eve.

Past advertising campaigns funded by the state of California have warned residents about the dangers of reignition, declaring that fires which appear to be out may actually just be smoldering for days, waiting to be provoked into another wrath at the slightest gust of a strong breeze. But despite the cause for concern, an LAFD spokesman told the Post that it is not the department’s practice to station firefighters at the site of a blaze for several days after it has supposedly been extinguished. That lack of oversight is a cause for concern, according to Michael Gollner, a professor of mechanical engineering and fire scientist at the University of California at Berkeley who reviewed the Washington Post’s materials. “We know that fires rekindle and transition from smoldering to flaming,” he said. “It’s certainly possible that something from that previous fire, within a week, had rekindled and caused the ignition.”

Control of the investigation has now been ceded to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, officials said. “ATF certified fire investigators did an initial survey of the area but the investigation has not begun.” In response to questions from the Post 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.” The stretch, known as the Temescal Ridge in the Santa Monica Mountains, had been well-known to authorities since the start of the New Year’s Eve fire, which residents say they believe was sparked by the use of fireworks. False-color satellite imagery reviewed by the Post indicates burn scars across the topography that only appeared after the first blaze and coincides with smoke reported in the first minutes of the Palisades blaze on the 7th.

To be sure, the investigation is unlikely to completely quell online conspiracy theories that continue to percolate in the days since thousands have been displaced and at least two dozen left dead. On Friday authorities arrested a homeless man setting fires with a handheld blowtorch while others online testified that they had seen individuals pouring gasoline into sewer grates. President-elect Donald Trump has laid the brunt of the blame at the feet of L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom for rebutting his 2019 water conservation policy, and in turn both Democrats have reviled Trump for what they say is an attempt to politicize a tragedy and his denial of climate change, which they say could have caused or worsened the disaster.