LAFD testimony details missed opportunities to fully put out the Lachman fire

"A firefighter picking up hoses on Jan. 2 found crackling, red-hot coals in the dirt and warned colleagues that a more thorough mop-up was needed. Also that morning, a captain cautioned his chief that it was too soon to pick up the hoses. In yet another missed opportunity, crews apparently did not walk the entire perimeter of the burn scar after a caller reported smoke in the area on Jan. 3."

"Firefighters said they adhered to the LAFD's strict chain of command and did not question higher-ups, while those in charge had fuzzy memories or shifted responsibility to others. The revelations, contained in the sworn testimony of a dozen firefighters earlier this year as part of a lawsuit filed by Palisades fire victims, corroborate previous reporting by The Times and call into question the LAFD's repeated claims that commanders left the fire dead out."

"Over the next two days, a series of communication failures and questionable decisions led crews to leave the area prematurely, with embers from the small Jan. 1 fire later reigniting into the devastating Palisades fire."

On New Year's Day, Los Angeles firefighter Jacob Ulibarri and crews worked to extinguish hot spots from the Lachman fire. Battalion Chief Martin Mullen supervised the mop-up operation, walking the perimeter multiple times before deciding to leave hoses overnight. Over the following two days, communication breakdowns and questionable decisions led to premature crew departure. A firefighter discovered hot coals on January 2 and warned that more thorough mop-up was needed. A captain also cautioned against removing hoses too soon. When smoke was reported on January 3, crews did not fully walk the burn perimeter. Sworn testimony from firefighters reveals that strict chain-of-command adherence prevented questioning of superiors, while commanders had unclear recollections or deflected responsibility. These revelations contradict LAFD claims that the fire was left dead out.

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