Palisades fire: Questions swirl on how blaze started near hiking trail

Hikers and outdoor enthusiastic have long been drawn to Skull Rock north of Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades.

A relatively short hike on the Temescal Ridge trail reveals the skeletal-shaped Skull Rock and dramatic Pacific Ocean views.

Now, this area is the subject of an investigation as a potential starting point for the Palisades fire, which burned thousands of structures last week.

It’s unclear where the fire started, and its cause is under investigation.

The general area was the site of a small fire on New Year’s Eve that burned for a few hours before fire officials said they snuffed it out with help from water-dropping helicopter.

Sources with knowledge of the investigation told The Times that officials are aware of the earlier fire and its general proximity to the Palisades fire. They looking into whether that could be the cause. Because the area is frequented by the public, the sources said it’s possible a new fire was somehow sparked there on Tuesday. The earlier fire appears to be sparked by fireworks, officials said.

As for the Palisades fire, the sources — who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly — said it appears to have human origins, but that the investigation is ongoing. They noted that area is frequented by hikers, teenagers and others.

Skull Rock.

(Matt Pawlik)

The Times listed Skull Rock as a top Southern California hike, describing it this way: “Enjoy heavily shaded switchbacks under oaks and coastal chaparral hillsides as you ascend on the Temescal Ridge trail toward panoramic viewpoints that stretch from Santa Monica to the Channel Islands on a clear day. Skull Rock and its boulder buddies are the midpoint of your geological journey and a great locale for some rock scrambling to a picnic perch.”

The fire was first reported from the address on North Piedra Morada Drive where Nic Libonati’s family lives. In an interview with The Times last week, Libonati confirmed that he was the first to call 911 and that he went to alert his neighbors to the fire.

When Libonati and his sister first spied the fire, he said, it was about two miles from their home. But he knew they were in trouble when he tried to hose down their plants and the wind blew the water back into his face. Libonati realized the flames were headed in their direction.