Scrutiny grows over LA fire origins after bombshell report: ‘Our Pearl Harbor moment’

Reports that fire crews were ordered to leave original site of blaze prompt tough questions for city and LAFD leaders

Concerns over a small brush fire that reignited days later into the mammoth Palisades fire - the most destructive in Los Angeles history - have grown in recent weeks amid reports that firefighters were ordered to leave the original site of the smaller blaze despite their concerns the ground was still smoldering.

Now, questions remain about how leaders at the Los Angeles fire department responded to a fire that leveled entire communities, and who within the agency knew about concerns the fire could still pose a threat. A former LA city councilor says the aftermath and recovery effort should serve as a Pearl Harbor moment for the city, which should never again be in a position with flames encroaching on all sides.