Thousands remain evacuated as crews work to contain Los Angeles County wildfires

For the third day in a row, investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are searching for any clues that could lead them to what caused the destructive Palisades Fire, focusing on an area near the Skull Rock Trailhead in Pacific Palisades.

Residents who live nearby believe the destructive Jan. 7 fire could have been a re-ignition of a brush fire that occurred in the early morning hours of New Year's Day.

The ATF, however, has not confirmed whether they believe the Palisades Fire was a re-ignition.

For the third day in a row, investigators are searching for any clues that could lead them to what caused the destructive Palisades Fire.

"We are not leading towards anything right now. We're taking everything in evaluating all the evidence we received, but it's too early on in the investigation to make any determination," said ATF's Jose Medina during a press conference Wednesday. "We are looking into everything. We will leave no stone unturned."

The ATF told Eyewitness News they have received over 150 leads and tips from residents so far, and that their investigation will take time because of the size and scope of the fire.

"We have certified fire experts up there. Certified explosive experts up there. Accelerant detection K9's with us trying to narrow down the origin of the fire," said Medina. "The other half of the team are going door to door asking for that video surveillance, what people saw, what people didn't see at certain dates and times."

Many residents who decided to stay put and not heed to evacuation orders during the deadly Eaton Fire are struggling to get basic necessities.

Residents said a pop-up donation site that was set up in their neighborhood was a vital lifeline after the devastating Eaton Fire, but they've been told donations can no longer be left there.

"I'm wondering why you would cut off the supply line," said Carlos Mostacero, one of the Altadena residents that is staying put.

He had been relying on the donation pop-up set up on Allen Avenue and New York Drive to get what he needed to survive without power.

Altadena residents who defied evacuation orders struggling to get essentials after Eaton Fire

"I wish somebody would come up here with a podium here and talk on the news about what is going on," said Mostacero. "What would you cut citizens off from water and food for if all of these places are donating and trying to be helpful?"

Jose Bugarin said he loaded his truck up with food and necessities after first responders that were manning the checkpoint flagged the new mandate, donations and supplies could no longer be left nor picked up there.

"My little truck is a pantry," Bugarin said. "They knew this was a terrible decision - and we pushed 'where is this call coming from?'

Despite supplies harder to come by, Bugarin said he'll still stay at his home in the evacuation zone.

So will his neighbor across the street, Becky James.

"I am feisty. I am not leaving. This is my house," said James.

Bugarin is helping James feed her canaries and koi, as well as powering up her generator.

"I would love for them to understand we are not here to make the job of the utility workers any harder. We are here to help the people that need help who they obviously didn't know are here," said Bugarin.
ABC7 reached out to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the Board of Supervisors office for the area to ask what the actual rules are.

The Board of Supervisors referred us to law enforcement - and the Sheriff's have not responded to our request.

A man has been arrested in connection to a brush fire that erupted in San Bernardino Wednesday afternoon.

"Through further investigation, officers arrested an adult male for two felony charges, one being PC452c - Reckless Burning, based on probable cause," the San Bernardino Police Department said in a post on X.

Fire personnel responded to the rapid spreading Little Mountain Fire on Little Mountain Drive and west Edgehill Road in San Bernardino Wednesday at around 2 p.m.

Forward progress was stopped at 34 acres with no reported damages or injuries.

SBPD said there was a hard road closure on Little Mountain Drive from Edgehill to Sheridan Road.

The identity of the suspect was not immediately released.

A man has been arrested in connection to a brush fire that erupted in San Bernardino Wednesday afternoon.

In the middle of one of the worst natural disasters in our state's history, there is now a little bit of normalcy. On Wednesday, students impacted by the Palisades Fire went back to class, but at new schools.

With the amount of smiles on students' faces outside Nora Sterry Elementary and Brentwood Science Magnet Elementary, you might not realize that some of these kids evacuated from the Palisades schools that went up in flames last week.

"The real story is, the staff and teachers at Marquez Elementary School literally rescued the children and saved their lives. When they were evacuating the upper yard where the classrooms are to the lower yard an assembly point, fixed wing aircraft were doing water drops as the fires were climbing up the hill towards the campus," said Ethan Tyer, whose daughter and son had attended Marquez Charter Elementary School in Pacific Palisades. Now you can barely see the water fountain there which was once under a mural.

The 300 kids from Marquez are now welcome at Nora Sterry.

"It's a happy day. It's a really exciting day seeing the Marquez children seeing their teachers, I think that just brought them together," said Nora Sterry Principal Dr. Sara Lasnover.

"Excited that we can help them!" said one parent.

"We're excited to help them out. We feel bad they lost their school and everything and they're having a hard time," said Lindsay Christensen, who had just picked up her son when we spoke to her.

But there is concern from some in the Nora Sterry community, including teachers, over current students having to move for the Palisades students.

The principal addressed that.

"It's very important to me as the principal at Nora Sterry that my community not feel slighted in anyway. Let me set the record straight -- every one of our students is in a classroom," said Lasnover.

Memories of the fire are fresh in the minds of many of these students.

"I was a bit scared at first, the winds were like picking up," said one student.

But there is a belief that just being back will go a long way in healing.

"There is nothing that provides normalcy than just having routine and school is the No. 1 source of routine for kids, so being able to be around their friends and commiserate and talk and share stories and just see that their friends are okay, and even if their friends suffered loss and as we all have to some degree or another that they are all okay and they are going to get through this and there is a path ahead," said Tyer.

When ABC7 reporter J.R. Stone was in the school office at Nora Sterry Elementary, he saw at least one teacher in tears. Some of these instructors spent all night moving their classrooms and while they're happy to have the Palisades kids, they don't want their students getting the raw end of the deal. The principal though says that will not happen.