A troubling new theory has emerged about what might have triggered the devastating wildfires currently ravaging the Los Angeles region.
In the past week, eight wildfires have been confirmed in the area, with firefighters working tirelessly to contain them. As of this writing, only three fires remain active.
Tragically, the death toll has risen to 16, and more than 10,000 homes and other structures have been destroyed in the infernos. Of the fatalities, 11 have been attributed to the Eaton Fire and five to the Palisades.
Per BBC News, 13 people are currently missing.
Now, Whisker Labs, a company specializing in monitoring electrical activity, has revealed startling data that may shed light on the cause of these wildfires.
According to the company’s chief executive, Bob Marshall, faults along the Los Angeles power grid surged dramatically in the hours before major fires ignited, including the Eaton, Palisades, and Hurst Fires.
Marshall shared his findings during an interview with Fox News, claiming that the faults were not immediately addressed. “Faults are caused by tree limbs touching wires or wires blowing in the wind and touching. That creates a spark in a fault, and we detect all of those things,” he explained.
Data Points to Potential Power Grid Role
Marshall detailed the scale of the electrical disturbances recorded by Whisker Labs’ advanced sensor network. “In the case of the Eaton Fire near Altadena, there’s 317 grid faults that occurred in the hours preceding the ignition,” he said. “And then in the Hurst Fire, there’s about 230 faults that occurred that we measured on the sensor network.”
The Palisades Fire, one of the worst-hit areas, saw 63 faults in the two to three hours before ignition, with 18 of those occurring in the hour prior. These numbers stand in stark contrast to the typical daily rate, which Marshall said is much lower.
Although this theory has not yet been confirmed by investigators, the data may offer critical insights into the origins of the fires.
“We work with the electric utility grid with extraordinary precision and accuracy,” Marshall emphasized, adding that this level of monitoring can provide officials with valuable clues.
Rebuilding Costs Soar
Meanwhile, early estimates suggest that recovery efforts in the Los Angeles area could cost upwards of $150 billion. AccuWeather has projected the staggering financial toll, while Aris Papadopoulos, founder of the Resilience Action Fund, told Fortune that rebuilding could take up to a decade, based on past disasters of similar magnitude.
Over 150,000 people have been evacuated from affected areas, with strict overnight curfews in place to ensure public safety. Although the death toll has increased overnight, officials warn that the number is expected to keep rising and more details emerge.
Additionally, per BBC News, officials have declared a public health emergency. Water in certain areas has been contaminated, and residents are warned against swimming in the ocean due to ash pollution.
Investigations are still underway, but the role of grid faults in sparking the catastrophic wildfires is now under scrutiny.
For now, an immediate focus remains on containing the remaining fires – which experts say could take “weeks” – and supporting those affected by the destruction. Firefighters from Mexico have joined the efforts to contain the fires, and local officials are seeking additional aid from across the US.
Our thoughts continue to go out to every person impacted by this tragedy.
