The Pacific Palisades fire that erupted in Los Angeles County on January 7, 2025, spread rapidly throughout surrounding areas . Southern California firefighters and officials struggled to contain the fire that burned thousands of acres and homes. Residents in Pacific Palisades — including celebrities — lost their homes and abandoned their cars to escape the hazardous smoke and flames. Now that an arrest has been made nine months later, many wonder how the fire started in the first place.

Learn more about the dangerous Palisades fire, its destruction and the October 2025 arrest below.

How Did the Pacific Palisades Fire Start?

Officials indicated that extremely high winds worsened the fire. Wind gusts increased overnight on January 7, and multiple outlets reported that gusts reached

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