Firefighters were ordered to ignore a smoldering blaze that later reignited as the deadly Palisades fire, which claimed the lives of 12 people.
That’s according to the Los Angeles Times, which cited text messages to report that firefighters told their battalion chief “the ground was still smoldering and rocks remained hot to the touch” at the site of the Lachman Fire.
When told to abandon the smoldering underground fire — which was allegedly started by an Uber driver — crews on the ground pushed back, warning that it would be a “bad idea.”
NEW: LA firefighters were told to abandon a smoldering blaze that later reignited as the deadly Palisades fire, according to text messages.
The LA Times reports that firefighters alerted a battalion chief that the Lachman fire was still smoldering.
Despite their concerns, the… pic.twitter.com/p7c8aScWIK
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 31, 2025
“In one text message, a firefighter who was at the scene on Jan. 2 wrote that the battalion chief had been told it was a ‘bad idea’ to leave the burn scar unprotected because of the visible signs of smoldering terrain,” the Times reported. “’And the rest is history,’” the firefighter wrote in recent weeks.”
Despite that text, “the battalion chief ordered them to roll up their hoses and pull out of the area on Jan. 2 — the day after the 8-acre blaze was declared contained — rather than stay and make sure there were no hidden embers that could spark a new fire,” the newspaper added.
Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles Fire Department officials, who were taking heat for their handling of the fire, declined or did not return the Times’ requests for comment.
Spencer Pratt, a reality TV personality who was born in Los Angeles, responded to the story to remind followers he has been calling attention to what he called a “cover up” of the details behind the deadly fire for some time now:
The Palisades Fire narrative is collapsing. This is just the beginning. pic.twitter.com/G6MeEPqsKR
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) October 30, 2025
Here’s a quick sampling of responses to the story, as seen on X:
Gavin Newsom should also be held accountable
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) October 31, 2025
— Global Index (@TheGlobal_Index) October 31, 2025
Imagine if a private citizen ignored this warning — they’d be jailed for manslaughter. Why do government officials always walk free when their failure kills?
— Mo (@mo_free_nig) October 31, 2025
— The Immortal (@TheImmortal007) October 31, 2025
First female and LGBTQ LA fire Chief said her vision and strategic plan is for the fire department to be more diverse and inclusive pic.twitter.com/7X6rxDzk4q
— Global Index (@TheGlobal_Index) October 31, 2025
A complete mismanagement of the situation.
When crisis strikes, that’s when leadership matters the most. And that’s why having DEI hires in fields like firefighting is so disastrous.
DEI is DEADLY, folks.
— The Conservative Alternative (@OldeWorldOrder) October 31, 2025
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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