How Did the Pacific Palisades Fire Start? See Cause

The Pacific Palisades fire that erupted in Los Angeles County on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, has spread rapidly throughout surrounding areas. Southern California is in a state of emergency as firefighters and officials struggle to contain to fire that has already burned thousands of acres and destroyed multiple homes. Residents in Pacific Palisades — including celebrities — lost their homes and abandoned their cars to escape the hazardous smoke and flames. As the nation watches the developing situation unfold, many wonder how the fire started in the first place.

Shortly after the fire broke out, California Governor Gavin Newsom spoke to the public in a press conference. He said, “This is a highly dangerous windstorm that’s creating extreme fire risk – and we’re not out of the woods. We’re already seeing the destructive impacts with this fire in Pacific Palisades that grew rapidly in a matter of minutes. Our deepest thanks go to our expert firefighters and first responders who jumped quickly into fighting this dangerous fire. If you’re in Southern California, please pay attention to weather reports and follow any guidance from emergency officials.”

Learn more about the dangerous fires in Southern California below.

(Photo by DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images)

How Did the Pacific Palisades Fire Start?

Officials indicated that extremely high winds have worsened the fire if not directly caused it. Wind gusts increased overnight on January 7, and multiple outlets reported that gusts could reach up to 100 miles per hour in certain parts of L.A. County.

How Many Fires Are in L.A. Right Now?

At the time of publication, three wildfires have broken out in L.A. county so far, according to multiple outlets. The largest fires are the Palisades fire and the Eaton fire, which has affected Pasadena and Altadena. The third fire is dubbed the Hurst Fire, which ignited in Sylmar.

Residents in Altadena and other affected towns have tried to fend off flames as they encroached on their properties.

Have the Fires Been Contained?

So far, there has been 0 percent containment of the main Pacific Palisades fire. The other two fires that broke out on Tuesday, January 7, have also barely been contained.