Overview
- The fire began Wednesday at a Lineage Logistics cold‑storage warehouse after rooftop solar‑array testing and has burned for days with deep‑seated smoldering that limits safe interior access.
- Mayor Karen Bass declared a local emergency and Governor Gavin Newsom issued a state order to speed equipment, respirators and specialized crews to the scene.
- Firefighters have removed ammonia from on‑site tanks and extracted dozens of lithium‑ion forklifts while using helicopter water drops and exterior tactics because dense foam insulation and buried hotspots prevent a full interior attack.
- Air monitoring by LAFD, county Hazmat teams and AQMD has found only typical structure‑fire smoke at measured levels, but officials have urged residents to stay indoors, use air purifiers or HVAC recirculation, and opened clean‑air shelters for sensitive people.
- About 85 million pounds of frozen food are likely unsalvageable, creating a large biohazard and disposal challenge that officials say will drive a prolonged, costly cleanup and require coordinated state and local planning.