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LA Mayor shares Palisades fire report delayed at DOJ request amid ‘ongoing federal investigation’
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced that the after-action report on the Palisades fire is postponed due to a federal investigation.
The after-action report on the Palisades fire, which broke out in January, has been put on hold as the federal investigation into the matter continues to determine the cause of the fire after a request from the DOJ. The information was revealed by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in a statement, as reported by CBS News.
State law requires the report to review the city’s response, but Bass said the US Attorney’s Office asked Los Angeles officials to hold off. At the same time, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives continues its probe into what sparked the fire on Jan. 7. The Emergency Services Act requires the Office of Emergency Services to work with state and local agencies to submit a report within 180 days of any declared disaster.
Also Read: Los Angeles residents' lawsuit claims municipal utility power lines caused deadly Palisades wildfire
LA Mayor Bass' statement on Palisades fire after-action report
In a statement, Bass said,“ According to state regulations, the City of Los Angeles is required to complete an after-action report regarding the Palisades fire. Late last week, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California requested that the report be held to avoid interference with the ongoing federal investigation."
She further mentioned in the statement, "Upon the conclusion of the investigation, the after-action report will be released in coordination with the United States Department of Justice," as reported by CBS News.
There is no timeline yet for when the report will be made public.
About the Palisades Fire
The Palisades fire destroyed thousands of buildings and burned tens of thousands of acres in the Pacific Palisades after it started Jan. 7. The fire quickly spread to more than 23,000 acres and destroyed over 6,800 structures. The blaze also claimed the lives of 12 people along with the evacuation of more than 100,000 residents, as reported by Fox News. In total, the fire caused an estimated $28 billion to nearly $54 billion in damage, making it the third most destructive fire in the history of California.
Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire.
