Scott Pike, a 23-year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department, testified last month as part of a lawsuit filed by 3,000 Palisades Fire victims against the city and the state.
Friday, February 27, 2026 8:41AMA Los Angeles firefighter says the Lachman Fire was still smoldering when crews were ordered to leave, days before embers reignited into the deadlyScott Pike, a 23-year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department, testified last month as part of a lawsuit filed by 3,000 Palisades Fire victims against the city and the state.
"I saw light smoke on the ground," he said. "I saw branches that were smoking still. I could smell smoke, and there were ... for what I would say ... I would say several smokers." Pike said some of the hot spots were intense enough that he hesitated to touch them, even with gloves. "I could feel the heat coming off of it, and I didn't even want to use my gloved hand because it was hot," he said. "So I just kicked it with my boot to kind of expose it and there was like red hot, like, coals, what I believe to be the base of a bush or branches that was still smoldering, and I even heard crackling." Pike testified that he reported what he found to other firefighters and a captain but felt his concerns were dismissed.Los Angeles Fire Department leadership has maintained that flames were out at the site of the Lachman Fire."I saw something, I said something and to my best ability, I felt like we could have done more," he said. Mayor Karen Bass' office released a statement Thursday, saying the mayor has been "extremely public" about demanding transparency. "As Mayor Bass said months ago when this first came to light, these revelations are 'tremendously alarming,'" read the statement. "That's why she immediately ordered a full investigation of the Lachman Fire. For more than a year, Mayor Bass has been extremely public about her demand for transparency and accountability to inform ongoing Fire Department reforms, and because those affected deserve nothing less."
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
One of Rosamund Pike’s Two New Guy Ritchie Movies Finally Set a 2026 Release DateRosamund Pike photographed by Stephanie Diani on October 27, 2025, in New York City at the Park Hyatt with styling by Leith Clark, hair by Davide Barbieri, and make-up by Valeria Ferreria.
Read more »
Ridley Scott's Prometheus Finally Has The Follow-Up Alien Fans Were Asking ForStaff Writer at Screen Rant by day, horror enthusiast by night.
Read more »
Netflix’s 2-Part Cyberpunk Series Is One Of Its BestWill Yun Lee and Dichen Lachman in Altered Carbon
Read more »
L.A. firefighter testifies that Lachman fire was not fully put out when crews were ordered to leaveA Los Angeles firefighter said in sworn testimony that he sounded the alarm about the inadequate mop-up of the Lachman fire — and was blown off by a captain — days before the embers reignited into the deadly Palisades fire.
Read more »
Thornton is currently between emergency alert systems, Fire Chief said after grass fire broke outTyler Melito joined the Denver7 newsroom in February 2026 as a multimedia journalist.
Read more »
‘We could have done more.' firefighter says concerns were raised before Palisades FireOn Jan. 2, Scott Pike, a 23-year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department, was working an overtime shift and was told to grab hoses during the mop-up of the…
Read more »