Wildfires are a devastating force of nature. But how did the latest LA wildfire start? Let’s find out

The wildfire began in Los Angeles County, impacting thousands of acre around 6PM

[{"selector":"#anim-2c15e920-902b-4670-999b-b695ff191da3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bbda3061-689d-49aa-bb0c-e9d475a4e23a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Authorities first believe the fire started due to human activity

[{"selector":"#anim-5d53425b-ec49-4184-b4cc-f91b2bc35363","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8c33e855-9cec-4e5a-a2c7-3eab2a4f8920","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Hot, dry conditions and strong winds created the perfect environment for the fire to spread

[{"selector":"#anim-ad9a2373-39ab-48e5-b772-2735bd6dc138","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9ce38212-19c6-4a7d-ad51-d2a6b2fbf323","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Santa Ana winds, notorious for fueling wildfires, played a key role in this outbreak

[{"selector":"#anim-a681ad8d-8194-45a1-8aca-8470aa8c9c1b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-76095400-292d-451b-b333-2cd77fb99b5a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Reports suggest human negligence, such as an unattended campfire or a discarded cigarette, may be to blame

[{"selector":"#anim-e8248bf5-f3a5-4852-9562-58b819c8fcc9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2729c74d-377d-4bc8-95f4-1974e82f3473","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

In some cases, lightning can ignite dry vegetation. Was this a factor here?

[{"selector":"#anim-df7ba219-bb8f-4633-8c21-0057168ca8b5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eb3e701e-0992-4b7e-9998-0c376cc56829","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Years of drought and dead vegetation turned the region into a tinderbox

[{"selector":"#anim-93269410-c34d-4b7b-a587-d12b2d2effd9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a3d2a0fb-7d63-40f7-9bff-df523eab97e4","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Steep terrain, shifting winds, and limited water sources made containment difficult.

[{"selector":"#anim-4eb88c3a-077d-4c68-9b6d-860d77b3b8b0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b8d10f31-1737-4223-868d-983ecc293d3b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The wildfire displaced thousands, destroyed homes, and disrupted lives.

[{"selector":"#anim-262269a8-6f86-4dab-9ea5-92d47aaa0818","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-277855ef-92bd-415c-88a8-f7a70644097a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Efforts are underway to restore the community and prevent future fires

[{"selector":"#anim-6db1735f-bba1-496b-ad96-83e3c9fd67ae","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-555b27c6-6e78-4aa4-979f-5f8f1f48a532","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Stay vigilant. Follow fire safety guidelines and help protect our environment

[{"selector":"#anim-bfa09deb-fe55-4c47-8918-919b2cb9505d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-40208da6-d000-4421-a27e-760f0ee7eb3c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]