LAFD Firefighter Warned Lachman Fire Not Fully Out Before Deadly Palisades Blaze

Firefighter Scott Pike testified he signaled concerns about smoldering areas, but was "blown off" by other crews and a captain.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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A Los Angeles firefighter, Scott Pike, testified in a sworn deposition that he warned other firefighters and a captain about the need for more mop-up on the Lachman fire on January 2, 2025, days before it reignited and turned into the deadly Palisades fire. Pike said he saw about five areas still smoking and hot coals underneath the ashes, but felt his concerns were dismissed. The Palisades fire later killed 12 people, destroyed thousands of structures, and burned over 23,000 acres.

Why it matters

This case highlights potential issues with the LAFD's handling of the Lachman fire and raises questions about whether more could have been done to prevent the devastating Palisades fire. It also underscores the importance of thoroughly addressing fire risks, even after flames are initially extinguished, to protect public safety.

The details

Firefighter Scott Pike said he was assigned to pick up hoses from the Lachman fire on January 2, 2025, when he noticed about five areas that were still smoking. He exposed some of the areas and found hot coals underneath the ashes. Pike said he initially told other firefighters about his concerns, but felt "blown off." He then informed a captain about the hot spots and ash pits, but the captain did not take further action. Days later, high winds reignited the Lachman fire, leading to the deadly Palisades fire.

  • On January 2, 2025, Firefighter Scott Pike noticed about five areas still smoking at the Lachman fire site.
  • On January 7, 2025, high winds reignited the Lachman fire, leading to the Palisades fire.
  • In October 2026, federal authorities arrested 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht on suspicion of maliciously starting the Lachman fire.

The players

Scott Pike

A Los Angeles firefighter who testified in a sworn deposition that he warned other firefighters and a captain about the need for more mop-up on the Lachman fire, but felt his concerns were dismissed.

Jonathan Rinderknecht

A 29-year-old man who was arrested by federal authorities in October 2026 on suspicion of maliciously starting the Lachman fire.

Karen Bass

The mayor of Los Angeles who has directed the newly named Fire Chief Jaime Moore to commission an independent investigation into the LAFD's handling of the Lachman fire.

Jaime Moore

The newly named Fire Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department who has defended the decisions of the incident commanders on the day of the Lachman fire, arguing that conditions at the time did not indicate the fire posed an ongoing threat.

Alex Robertson

An attorney representing the victims in the lawsuit against the city and state, who said 11 other firefighters were deposed and about half of them testified that the fire was out and they did not see any smoke or smoldering, with Pike being the only one who testified to the contrary.

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What they’re saying

“That's a lot to me. That's an indicator that stuff's still hot.”

— Scott Pike, Firefighter (ocregister.com)

“From my experience, I feel like we've been assigned to pick up hose today, but I feel like a better move would be to pivot and go to charge these hose lines and do a more thorough mop-up.”

— Scott Pike, Firefighter (ocregister.com)

“If a captain can't pick that up from me saying that and make the right choices, that's on him. That's not my job to overstep and tell him what to do. He earned that rank.”

— Scott Pike, Firefighter (ocregister.com)

“I haven't spoken on it because it kind of sits heavy with me, that no one listened to me. I saw something, I said something and to the best of my ability, I feel like we could have done more.”

— Scott Pike, Firefighter (ocregister.com)

What’s next

Mayor Karen Bass has directed the newly named Fire Chief Jaime Moore to commission an independent investigation into the LAFD's handling of the Lachman fire. The investigation's findings could lead to changes in the department's fire response protocols.

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of thoroughly addressing fire risks, even after initial extinguishment, to prevent future disasters. It also raises questions about the LAFD's communication and decision-making processes, and the need for greater accountability and transparency in the department's handling of emergency situations.