Authorities in Los Angeles are investigating a popular hiking trail as a possible starting point for the devastating Palisades fire.
The largest of three major fires threatening the US’ second-largest city, the Palisades fire has scorched more than 40,000 acres, destroying homes and businesses and killing at least 25 people.
Authorities investigating the blaze are considering the Skull Rock on Temescal Ridge trail as a possible starting point for the blaze.
The popular trail formerly took hikers through 4.6 miles / 7.4km of now-burned California wilderness in the Joshua Tree National Park. Along the way, trekkers would pass a skeletal-shaped skull rock formation and take in scenic views of the Pacific Ocean.
The surrounding area was the scene of a small fire on New Year’s Eve, that burned for a few hours and was swiftly contained by fire officials with the help of a water-dropping helicopter.
This fire was reportedly caused by fireworks, which may have also played a part in starting the Palisades fire, as authorities have told the Los Angeles Times that it's likely it has ‘human origins’.
Although they’re yet to determine an official cause of the fire, authorities also pointed to the trail’s popularity with teenagers.
The Palisades fire is being investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department, alongside the smaller Eaton and Hurst blazes
Though California has long been susceptible to wildfires, January is usually relatively free from issues, but strong seasonal winds are fueling the fires, which are still not under control.
In unseasonably warm, dry conditions, wildfires can be caused by careless acts like discarding a lit cigarette. Flammable waste items like discarded propane cylinders are also dangerous.
In September last year, lawmakers announced that single-use disposable propane cylinders would be banned in California in a bid to to protect local environments and eliminate unnecessary emissions.
If you're camping or hiking in a potentially hazardous area, make sure to pick up all your litter and avoid using flammable equipment.
While single events cannot be directly attributed to climate change, a general rise in global temperatures has led to an increase in the warm, dry conditions in which wildfires thrive.
Today, wildfires result in more than six million more hectares of tree loss per year than they did in 2001, an area roughly the size of Croatia. The global number of extreme heat waves has risen fivefold in the past 150 years.
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