Overview
- Scott Pike testified he found multiple hot spots on Jan. 2 and says his warnings were dismissed before the Lachman fire reignited five days later into the Palisades fire that killed 12 and destroyed thousands of structures.
- Plaintiffs’ attorneys released edited videos of firefighter depositions after city attorneys invoked a protective order allowing testimony to be kept temporarily confidential.
- California State Parks disputes the presentation of the testimony and says fire response by law falls to LAFD, adding that a court recently moved to dismiss several claims against the state.
- Firefighters testified they believed state personnel would monitor the burn scar, while a State Parks official acknowledged he did not return after the first day.
- Other LAFD witnesses offered differing accounts of conditions, and multiple reviews remain active, including an internal Professional Standards probe, an FSRI analysis requested by the mayor, and a City Council–commissioned examination.