(NewsNation) — Civilian drone video obtained by NewsNation appears to show a plume of smoke above the spot the Palisades Fire ignited, days before the flames began to spread across Southern California.
The video was shot on Jan. 1, 2025, placing smoke in the area after the Los Angeles Fire Department had already determined the initial Lachman Fire was contained.
The drone’s thermal imaging also shows the Lachman burn scar full of hot spots on the same day.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has determined the Palisades Fire reignited in the same area as the Lachman Fire, six days after it was declared contained and visited by California State Parks officials.
The fire went on to kill 12 people and destroy nearly 7,000 structures. It burned for almost a month and caused an estimated $18-20 billion in insured losses alone.
In the year since the state’s worst-ever wildfire began, California leadership has faced mounting questions about its response.
Documents exclusively obtained by NewsNation outlined what attorneys called “massive failures” by state and local officials that may have contributed to the fire’s prolonged duration.
Missteps included opting not to predeploy fire crews in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, failing to put the Palisades reservoir into service as planned and keeping power on in the area.
The state also initially denied being notified of the fire and having representatives on the scene, claims later contradicted by LAFD call logs and photographic evidence.