At least 11 people have been killed, and thousands of homes and businesses have been destroyed by massive fires in the Los Angeles area, with investigators looking for possible ignition sources.

Authorities traced the origin of a wind-driven fire in Pacific Palisades to an area behind a home on Piedra Morada Drive, which overlooks a thickly wooded arroyo. The hilly neighborhood is home to Hollywood stars such as Jamie Lee Curtis and Billy Crystal, who lost their homes in the fire.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, lightning is the most common cause of fires in the United States, but investigators quickly ruled it out as a factor. There were no reports of lightning strikes in the Palisades area or surrounding areas of the Eaton Fire, which started in eastern Los Angeles County and has already destroyed hundreds of homes.

Arson fires and utility line sparks are the next two most common causes.

John Lentini, owner of Scientific Fire Analysis in Florida, who has investigated large fires in California, including the 1991 Oakland Hills fire, emphasized that the size and scope of a fire affect the approach to determining its cause. Does not change.

“It was once a small fire,” said Lentini. “People will focus on where the fire started, determine the origin and look around the origin and determine the cause.”

There has been no official indication of arson in any of the fires, nor have utility lines been identified as the cause.

Under California law, utilities must report any “electrical incidents potentially associated with wildfires” to the California Public Utilities Commission, commission communications director Terry Prosper said in an email. CPUC staff then investigates to determine if a violation of state law has occurred.

The 2017 Thomas fire, the largest in California history, was caused by Southern California Edison power lines coming into contact during high winds, investigators found. The fire killed two people and burned more than 440 square miles (1,140 square kilometers).

On Friday, Southern California Edison submitted a report to the CPUC regarding fires burning in the hills near Pasadena, an area served by the utility.

While Edison said it had not been notified of its equipment’s involvement in the fire, the company notified state utility regulators as a precaution after receiving evidence preservation notices from insurance company attorneys. Filed a report with

“From a preliminary analysis SCE of Electrical Circuit Information For energizing transmission lines passing through the area up to 12 hours before the time the fire is reported, there is no interruption or electrical or operational anomaly more than one hour after the time the fire is reported, The utility reported.

Lightning, arson and utility lines are the most common causes of fires, but burning debris and fireworks also often contribute.

Fires can also be started by a variety of other sources, including accidents.

In 2021, a gender reveal stunt sparked a massive fire that burned nearly 36 square miles (about 90 square kilometers), destroyed five homes and 15 other buildings, and killed firefighter Charlie Morton. Caused

As of Friday, the Eaton and Palisades fires were still burning with limited control. While the winds had died down, no rain was expected, and the flames continued to spread for miles inland.

“It will end when the fuel runs out, or when the weather stops,” Lentini said. “They’re not going to put this thing out until it’s ready to go out.”

With AP input