Storms that erupted in January devastated two distinct areas of Los Angeles County: one with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, the other nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.
But so far, congressional Republicans’ push to investigate the Jan. 7 fire and response has focused almost entirely on the Palisades Fire, which broke out in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades and continues to burn parts of Malibu and surrounding areas.
Two U.S. senators stepped up their investigation this week in a letter to City Council President Marquis Harris Dawson, saying they wanted to obtain a trove of documents on Los Angeles Fire Department staffing, wildfire preparations, the city’s water supply and many other topics surrounding the devastating blaze.
U.S. Sens. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) requested records related to several issues raised during and after the Palisades fire, including empty reservoirs and the failure to fully extinguish fires previously identified as the cause.
By contrast, the letter only briefly mentioned the Eaton Fire, which broke out in the unincorporated community of Altadena and spread to parts of Pasadena. The emergency was beset by delays in evacuation warnings, deployment problems and accusations that electrical equipment operated by Southern California Edison caused fires.
Both fires destroyed thousands of homes. The Palisades Fire killed twelve people. All but one of the 19 people killed in the Eaton fire were found in west Altadena, where an evacuation alert was issued hours after flames and smoke threatened the area.
Scott and Johnson gave Harris-Dawson a Nov. 3 deadline to provide records on several specific topics in the city of Los Angeles: the city’s Fire Department’s “diversity, equity and inclusion” hiring policy; the Department of Water and Power’s oversight of its reservoirs; and Mayor Karen Bass’s ouster of Fire Chief Kristin Crowley earlier this year.
Los Angeles County officials said they have not received any such letters involving the Palisades fire or the Eaton fire.
A spokesman for Johnson referred questions about the letter to Scott’s office. An aide to Scott told The Times this week that the investigation remains focused on the Palisades fire but could expand. The spokesperson said some of Eaton’s fire records were requested because “these records are often airtight in public reporting.”
The two senators, both members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, launched the investigation after meeting with reality TV star Spencer Pratt. Platt lost his home in the Palisades Fire and quickly became an outspoken critic of the city’s response to the fire and subsequent reconstruction efforts. At the time, senators called the Palisade fire “an unacceptable failure of government to protect the lives and property of our citizens.”
The survey was originally conducted to understand the city’s emergency preparedness, including the lack of water from nearby reservoirs and nearby fire hydrants the night of the fire. The Times first reported that the Santa Ynez Reservoir in Pacific Palisades has been closed for maintenance for nearly a year.
The letter to Harris-Dawson seeks records related to the reservoir and those involved in “wildfire preparation, suppression and response…including but not limited to the response to the Palisades and Lachman Fires.”
Officials said the Rahman Fire, which was intentionally set on Jan. 1, reignited six days later and became the Palisades Fire. A suspect was recently arrested for allegedly setting a fire in Rahman. Now, senators are raising concerns about why the fire was not properly contained.
The sweeping records request also seeks communications between 15 City Council members and their staff that reference the Palisades and Eaton fires. It’s unclear whether the city has extensive documentation on the Eaton Fire, given its location outside city limits.
Harris-Dawson had no comment. But Hugo Soto-Martinez, who sits on the committee’s Public Safety Committee, made it clear he thinks senators are confused about Southern California’s geography and the distinction between city and county jurisdictions.
“Let MAGA Republicans not even look at a map before they start this ridiculous investigation,” he said. “DEI did not cause the fires, and these senators should turn their witch hunt elsewhere,” he said in a statement.
Los Angeles County officials, who also faced difficulties with poor evacuation warnings and poor deployment of resources during the Eaton fire, said they had not received any letters from the senator about either fire.
According to aides to Los Angeles County Supervisor Katherine Barger, who currently serves as board president, and Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, neither has received such a document request. Barger represents Altadena, while Horvath’s district includes Pacific Palisades, Malibu and the unincorporated communities affected by the Palisades fire.
Monday’s letter also requested records “involving or relating to any reports or investigations of arson, break-ins, thefts or robberies” in the fire-affected areas, as well as records of the arrest of Palisades arson suspect Jonathan Rinderknecht. It also seeks documentation on the commission’s efforts to “dismantle systemic racism” and whether those efforts have impacted the DWP or fire service.
Alberto Retana, president and CEO of the Harris-Dawson District nonprofit Community Alliance, said he also viewed the two senators’ investigation as a witch hunt — targeting Los Angeles city elected officials and ignoring Southern California Edison.
“There are reports that Edison was responsible for the Eaton fire; [nothing] That shows there is any concern about it,” he said.
Altadena residents had previously expressed concerns about the Trump administration’s inconsistent response to the two fires. Since the Palisades Fire swept through the largely affluent neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades and Malibu, home to celebrities, recovery efforts have been thrust into the spotlight. Meanwhile, many black and working-class residents of Altadena say their community is being left behind.
In both regions, however, there is growing concern that now barren land will be quickly purchased by wealthy outside investors, including those based outside the United States.
Scott said in a press release issued this week that the congressional investigation will also examine whether Chinese companies “exploited” opportunities to recover from the fires. The New York Times cannot independently verify such claims.
