Getty Fire cause: Blaze sparked when wind carried tree branch into power line, officials say

By ABC7.com staff
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
A day after the Getty Fire erupted along the 405 Freeway near the Getty Center, firefighters remain on guard to prevent the blaze from rekindling Tuesday.
BRENTWOOD, LOS ANGELES -- The Getty Fire was sparked when high winds carried a tree branch from outside of a brush clearance zone into a city power line, officials said Tuesday.

The eucalyptus branch hit the line, creating an electrical arc that sent sparks to the ground, investigators concluded. The power lines themselves continued to deliver electricity, but the sparks set out a fire that spread quickly amid the dangerous Santa Ana winds and dry brush.
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"This was, simply put in plain parlance, an act of God," Mayor Eric Garcetti said.

The power lines were located near the 1800 block of North Sepulveda Boulevard to the west of the 405 Freeway and the fire began around 1:30 a.m. Monday.

Garcetti and other officials said the city had done brush clearance in the area over the summer beyond what was legally required. The tree where the branch came from was about 25 feet away from the power line and 20 feet up the hill.

The investigation was aided by dashcam video from a car driving through the Sepulveda Pass that caught what appeared to be an electrical arc explosion along the side of the road. Officials also found the charred eucalyptus branch in the area.

Getty Fire cause: Dashcam video shows moment fire started near 405


In the meantime, the firefight continued Tuesday. While the flames were mostly under control, firefighters remained on guard to prevent the blaze from rekindling ahead of a major Santa Ana wind event expected Tuesday night.



Firefighters worked overnight to spray homes in the Brentwood area and other neighborhoods to stamp out any existing embers. Many homes in Brentwood were seen red-tagged, charred and unrecognizable.
Fire officials said it's critical to get ahead of the coming Santa Ana wind event, which is expected to arrive in the Southland Tuesday night. Forecasters say this round of wind may be the strongest of the season so far.

At a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Mayor Eric Garcetti said the fire had increased slightly in size to 656 acres and was at 15% containment.

LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas said crews are on alert ahead of the wind event.



"Our goal today will be to increase containment as much as possible. That is our primary objective," he said. "Embers are known to travel for miles...We are very concerned about tonight's wind event."
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MORE: Time-lapse video shows Getty Fire flames spreading over hills for hours
Getty Fire: Time-lapse video shows flames grow

The Getty Fire erupted at 1:30 a.m. Monday along the 405 Freeway in the Sepulveda Pass, prompting the mandatory evacuation of thousands of residential and commercial structures. The blaze has destroyed 12 homes and damaged five.

MORE: See full list and map of evacuation area, road closures due to the Getty Fire

"We know we're going to have a major wind event tonight at about 11 o'clock that's going to last until Thursday. We're doing everything we can to wrap our arms around this fire to be able to prevent a potential of those strong gusty Santa Ana winds, pushing this fire, rekindling a lot of the fire and blowing embers a mile to two miles down range," said Assistant Chief Jaime Moore with Los Angeles Fire.

PHOTOS: Getty Fire burns in West Los Angeles
A firefighter works to clear a house destroyed by a wildfire called the Getty Fire, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles, Calif.none
A helicopter prepares to drop water onto a burning ridge top as a wildfire called the Getty fire burns on Mandeville Canyon Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
A wildfire called the Getty Fire burns a ridge top as a water-dropping helicopter flies by on Mandeville Canyon Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
A helicopter drops water over fire crews as a wildfire called the Getty fire burns on Mandeville Canyon Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
A plane drops retardant as the Getty fire burns on Mandeville Canyon Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
Fire smolders in an outbuilding at Fieldstone Farm in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 28, 2019.AP
Smoke from a wildfire called the Kincade Fire hangs over Healdsburg, Calif., as farm animals graze in a pasture on Monday, Oct. 28, 2019.AP
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti visits homes as they burn in the Getty fire, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles, Calif.AP
A California Street cable car operator and passenger wear breathing masks to protect against smoke from wildfires Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in San Francisco.AP
A firefighter from San Matteo helps fight the Kincade Fire in Sonoma County, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019.AP
Firefighters try to save a home on Tigertail Road from the Getty Fire, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles, Calif.AP
Firefighters try to save a home on Tigertail Road from the Getty Fire, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles, Calif.AP
Firefighters try to save a home on Tigertail Road from the Getty Fire, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles, Calif.AP
Firefighters try to save a home on Tigertail Road from the Getty Fire, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles, Calif.AP
A man walks past a burning home during the Getty Fire, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles, Calif.AP
Firefighters try to save a home on Tigertail Road during the Getty Fire, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles, Calif.AP
Firefighters try to save a home on Tigertail Road during the Getty Fire, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles, Calif.AP
Firefighters try to save a home on Tigertail Road during the Getty Fire, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles, Calif.AP
Firefighters try to save a home on Tigertail Road during the Getty Fire, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles, Calif.AP
A firefighter tries to catch his breath after fighting flames of the Getty Fire, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles, Calif.AP
Firefighters try to save a home on Tigertail Road as power lines fall and spark behind them during the Getty Fire, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles, Calif.AP
A firefighters gets in position to hose down flames as a home burns in the Getty fire area along Tigertail Road, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
A firefighter gets in position to hose down flames as a home burns in the Getty fire area along Tigertail Road Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
A firefighters tries to hose down flames as a home burns in the Getty fire area along Tigertail Rd. Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
Firefighters hose down flames as a home burns in the Getty fire area along Tigertail Rd. Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti walks along Tigertail Rd. as the Getty fire burns homes nearby Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
Firefighters battle the Getty Fire as it burns down a home along Tigertail Rd. Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
Firefighters try to hose down flames as homes burn in the Getty fire area along Tigertail Rd. Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, second from left, walks along Tigertail Road as the Getty fire burns homes nearby Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
Firefighters combine efforts as the Getty fire burns down homes along Tigertail Rd. Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
A firefighter tries to hose down flames as multiple homes burn in the Getty fire area along Tigertail Road, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
A helicopter drops water as the Getty fire burns on Mandeville Canyon Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
Firefighters are illuminated by engines as they battle the Getty fire as it burns homes along Tigertail Rd. Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
The Getty fire burns on Mandeville Canyon Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP
Firefighters walk on top of a burned down canyon caused by the Getty fire on Mandeville Canyon Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Los Angeles.AP


Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke at a press conference Tuesday. "FEMA has been extraordinary. Trump administration has been extraordinarily supportive and helpful. Every request we've made has been granted. That support has come in real time," he said.



Garcetti announced he was signing an emergency declaration to bring more resources to help battle the blaze. During a press conference, Garcetti said the fire was not caused by an encampment or by someone without housing.

The mayor said investigators were making "good progress'' in determining the cause. They were looking at multiple possibilities.
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