Los Angeles firefighter testifies Lachman Fire was still smoldering when fire crews left

In newly released deposition transcripts, several Los Angeles Firefighters answered questions about the Pacific Palisades Lachman Fire, with one firefighter testifying that there were still hotspots smoldering when crews left the scene.

The transcripts are part of an ongoing lawsuit, where victims of the Palisades Fire are suing the city of Los Angeles and the State of California. The remains of the Jan. 1, 2025, Lachman Fire rekindled to the Palisades Fire six days later.

The Palisades Fire burned more than 23,000 acres of land in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu and the Santa Monica mountains. Twelve people were killed, and thousands of homes were destroyed.

“I haven’t really spoken much on it because it kind of sits heavy with me, that nobody listened to me,”  LAFD Firefighter Scott Pike testified.

In his deposition, Pike described at least five areas still actively smoking as crews were rolling up hoses to leave the Lachman Fire. He testified that ash pits were still hot and that he didn’t want to touch them, even with his gloves. Instead, he kicked one open with his boot, exposing red-hot “like coals” still smoldering and “crackling.”

He said he voiced concern to the other firefighters at the scene, and even to the captain.

“I saw something, I said something, and to my best ability, I felt like we could have done more,” Pike testified.

“I felt like I kind of got blown off a little bit … and I haven’t seen anyone step up and take responsibility. None of my leaders, none of the city leaders – nobody.”

While at an unrelated event on Friday, Mayor Karen Bass was asked about the deposition statements, and she said they were alarming.

“But it really just reinforced my desire as well as the chief’s to get the independent investigation, well and we know that it’s underway, and that is the Fire Research Institute, that’s the independent investigator that Gov. Newsom had employed to look at the fire overall,” she said.

In other deposition statements, LAFD firefighters testified that the land where the Lachman Fire broke out is part of California State Parks, and that a ranger at the scene told them that State Parks would patrol the area after fire crews left.

A California State Parks representative testified that no one from the agency returned to the scene after Jan. 1. The state agency issued a response, saying they aren’t a firefighting agency.

“By law, the fire response is the responsibility of the Los Angeles City Fire Department. California State Parks is not a firefighting agency and does not direct fire response.”

“As a reminder, both the Lachman and Palisades fires occurred within the local responsibility of the City of Los Angeles and LAFD responded to the fires. The Lachman Fire was deemed by LAFD to be fully contained a few hours after it started.”

Pike also said that he was never interviewed in the after-action report that was released several months ago, which briefly mentioned the Lachman Fire.