What caused the Palisades Fire? ATF elite investigators arrive in LA

As the firefighters continue to work around the clock to take down the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles County's westside communities, the feds are in Southern California to get to the bottom of the catastrophic blaze.

First reported by FOX News' Bill Melugin but later announced by the U.S. government, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives (ATF) brought in its "elite National Response Team" to Los Angeles to investigate the cause of the Palisades Fire.

According to the ATF, the elite group will work in a two-prongued system: One team will look into the scene, including damage and burn patterns. Melugin adds the second team is in town to gather surveillance video and digital evidence.

What caused the Palisades Fire?

As of Monday, January 13, authorities have not explicitly determined an official cause of the fire. 

According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, a popular hiking destination, Skull Rock – an area north of Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades – is at the center of an investigation "as a possible starting point for the Palisades fire."

Meanwhile, local authorities have announced multiple rounds of arrests taking place from the Palisades Fire scenes, but none of which are explicitly related to the cause of the fire. Over the weekend, there was an announcement of a man arrested for impersonating a firefighter. The alleged "fake firefighter" was accused of trying to break into one of the evacuated homes.

Multiple people have also been accused of arson across the region last week, but there are no reports explicitly singling them out for causing the Palisades Fire.

What is the ATF?

According to the federal government's website, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are "highly trained, elite law enforcement officers who investigate violations of federal laws and regulations related to the criminal misuse of firearms and explosives, firearms trafficking, acts of arson, and the diversion of alcohol and tobacco products."

The ATF can make arrests for federal charges if they find a suspect. 

Photo: ATF

Photo: ATF

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