Southern California officials made an arrest in connection with the Palisades Fire that burned through the Santa Monica Mountains in Los Angeles County which nearly doubled in size and has been reported as 0% contained.
Authorities said dry trees and brush that have not caught fire in the last 75 years fueled the sudden growth of the blaze. California officials issued a mandatory evacuation order that forced thousands of residents to flee their homes.
Starting a Fire
During a Monday news conference, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas that an arrest has been made on an individual believed to be involved in the case. “We feel we have the right person,” Terrazas said.
Currently, officials are still investigating the case and the connection of the suspect with the fire. Terrazas did not provide any details regarding the suspect or what the believed connection was. However, he said the suspect was currently at a hospital being treated for smoke inhalation.
A second suspect was asked regarding the fire but was not arrested, Terrazas said. Firefighters and air-tankers worked together with helicopters to try and control the flames. Due to low clouds on Monday, air-tankers were grounded for safety reasons, ABC News reported.
Terrazas said the air-tankers would not be allowed to fly until the cloud ceiling reaches at least 4,000 feet. On Monday morning, the cloud ceiling in the region of the fire was at 2,500 feet. Los Angeles Fire Department Battalion Chief Al Ward said firefighters were prioritizing fighting the northeast flank of the fire to prevent it from skipping a road and growing larger.
