Authorities to announce 'significant development' in probe of California’s Palisades Fire

Federal officials and Los Angeles police planned a news conference on Wednesday to announce a “significant development” related to the criminal investigation into last January's deadly Palisades Fire.

The fire that erupted on Jan. 7 killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,000 homes and buildings in the Pacific Palisades, a wealthy coastal neighborhood of LA.

Attending the 9 a.m. news conference will be Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli, LA Police Chief Jim McDonnell, and Special Agent in Charge Kenny Cooper of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. No details were provided ahead of time.

Investigators still haven’t determined the cause of that blaze or the Eaton Fire, which broke out the same day in the community of Altadena and killed 18 people.

Both fires burned for days, reducing entire neighborhoods to rubble and ash.

An outside review released in September found that a lack of resources and outdated policies for sending emergency alerts led to delayed evacuation warnings.

The report commissioned by Los Angeles County supervisors said a series of weaknesses, including “outdated policies, inconsistent practices and communications vulnerabilities,” hampered the county’s response.