Los Angeles Blaze May Have Been Started or Fuelled by Arson

Sunday, 19 January 2025 – Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the inferno in Los Angeles, California. More than 12,000 buildings have so far been damaged, with around 58,000 more at risk. According to experts, one common cause of wildfires can be ruled out: lightning. There have been no storms in the region this week. The area near the Temescal Ridge Trail also appears to be free of power lines or transformers, excluding another possible cause.

Experts say they would not be surprised if one of the smaller fires that broke out following the Palisades blaze had been deliberately set.

A civilian drone collided over the Palisades fire with a firefighting aircraft. The collision with a Canadair CL-415 occurred at around 1 p.m., according to Erik Scott, spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department. “Quebec 1 sustained damage to the wing and remains grounded and out of service.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigated the incident. It reminded the public that flying a drone during a firefighting operation is a criminal offence, punishable by up to twelve months in prison or a fine of up to $75,000.

Arsonist with Flamethrower Tied Up by Los Angeles Residents

A suspected arsonist, allegedly responsible for starting the latest Los Angeles blaze, was found with a “large propane tank or flamethrower,” neighbours reported. Residents tied him up to detain him before police arrived at the scene in West Hills.

Charles Dinsel, the senior officer, confirmed that a man had been caught attempting to start a fire. The cause of the Kenneth fire, which broke out on Thursday afternoon, is still unclear, but officials said it was “being investigated as a crime.”

By 11 p.m. on Thursday, the fire had spread to more than 400 hectares and was 35 per cent contained. Officials said the spread had been halted as firefighters battled the flames overnight.

While speculation about the cause of the recent blazes has been rife, investigators have only publicly discussed the possibility that the Kenneth fire, near the border between Los Angeles and Ventura County, was deliberately set. In that case, 33-year-old Juan Sierra has been named a “person of interest,” though no charges have yet been filed.

Summer 2023 Brought the Largest Wildfire Ever Recorded in the EU

At the start of the season, Spain suffered devastating wildfires, followed in July by further blazes in Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. August marked a turning point for Greece, which was struck by the worst wildfires in EU history. After the devastating July blazes on the islands of Rhodes and Corfu and in the Athens region, dozens of new wildfires broke out across the country in August. The most severe occurred in the northeast, near the city of Alexandroupolis. The fire started on 19 August and raged for several days, driven by dry vegetation, strong winds and high temperatures. EFFIS estimates that this blaze alone burned more than 94,000 hectares of land.

Since 2019, numerous tourist attractions worldwide have been destroyed by fires, often without the cause being determined. In some cases, authorities suspect arson.

• Cordoba, Spain, August 2025 – Firefighters averting a „catastrophe“
• Aude, France, August 2025 – France battling largest wildfire in 75 years
• Utah, USA, July 2025 – Wildfires trigger “fire clouds” with unpredictable weather systems
• Madrid, Spain, July 2025 – More than 3,000 ha affected
• Crete, Greece, July 2025 – Thousands evacuated
• Split, Croatia, June 2025 – Situation very serious
• Manitoba, Canada, May 2025 – Largest evacuation in many years
• West Yorkshire, UK, May 2025 – Firefighters battle a 1.9 km moorland blaze
• Kommetjie, Western Cape, South Africa – Nearly 200 households evacuated
• New Jersey, USA, April 2025 – Wildfire spreads over 12,000 acres
• Cumbernauld, Scotland, April 2025 – Massive wildfire, the third that week
• Andong, South Korea, March 2025 – Apocalyptic scenes
• West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, March 2025 – Massive wildfire devastates Scottish nature reserve
• London, March 2025 – Substation fire causes power outage
• Texas, March 2025 – Wildfires rage across thousands of hectares
• Ofunato, Japan, March 2025 – Thousands evacuated
• Los Angeles, California, January 2025 – Worst natural disaster in US history
• Table Mountain, Cape Town, December 2024 – Three suspects
• s’Albufera, Mallorca, 8 & 17 October 2024 – Deliberately set
• Somerset House, London, August 2024 – Cause unknown
• Port of Antwerp, June & August 2024 – Containers belonging to Singaporean authority set ablaze
• Notre Dame, Rouen, July 2024 – Cause unknown
• Vier Türme, Bad Ems, Germany, July 2024 – Cause unknown
• Unewatt, Germany, June 2024 – Suspected arson
• Børsen, Copenhagen, April 2024 – Cause undetermined
• Smokehouse Creek, Texas, February 2024 – Record-breaking wildfire
• Lahaina, Maui, August 2023 – Deadliest wildfire in the US in 100 years
• Alexandroupolis, Greece, August 2023 – One of the largest in Europe
• Sicily, Italy, July 2023 – Unprecedented devastation
• Donnie Creek, British Columbia, June 2023 – Highest water level ever recorded in BC
• Tustin Hangar, California, November 2023 – Cause undetermined
• Parliament, Cape Town, January 2022 – Male suspect arrested
• Black Fire, New Mexico, June 2022 – Second largest in New Mexico’s history
• Laguna Niguel, California, May 2022 – Severe damage over 200 hectares
• Table Mountain, Cape Town, April 2021 – Library destroyed, suspect arrested
• Bushfires, Australia, December 2019 – Among the most devastating in history
• Shuri Castle, Japan, October 2019 – Fire destroys World Heritage Site
• Notre Dame, Paris, April 2019 – No one held accountable

The past five years have been marked by an unprecedented number of devastating fires. From bushfires in Australia to vast blazes in California and across Europe, culminating in the major fire in Los Angeles, the list of destroyed sites includes valuable historic buildings as well as cultural landmarks and protected landscapes – all of which, as world-renowned tourist attractions, also held significant economic value. The causes of many fires remain unclear, though in some cases arsonists have been arrested. The damage amounts to billions. Political debate on fire prevention and the identification of potential perpetrators must follow in order to put an end to this record-breaking series of blazes without delay.

Text: Birgit Unger @deluxemallorca