Since the Pacific Palisades and Eaton fire started on January 7, more than 40,000 acres have burned, 82,000 people are under mandatory evacuation orders, and at least 25 people have died as a result of the fires. The Eaton fire is set to be the second most destructive wildfire in California history, and the Pacific Palisades fire is the fourth.
A now-viral video from Thursday, January 9 shows residents of the Woodland Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles chasing down and tackling a homeless man holding what looks like a flamethrower shortly after the Kenneth fire was started in the area. The residents allegedly saw this man, Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva, setting fire to old Christmas trees and other debris with what they also described as a “flamethrower”. After they subdued him, they used zip ties to bind his hands together until the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) responded to the scene. The Kenneth fire burned 1,052 acres before it was fully contained.
According to a statement by ICE, Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva, 33, is being held as a person of interest in connection with the California fires. He is a Mexican national who goes by several aliases and entered the U.S. illegally. He has had many run-ins with the law, including assault with a deadly weapon in 2023 and a felony probation violation.
On Friday, LAPD Assistant Chief Dominic Choi said they did not have enough evidence to charge him with arson, and that he’s being held on a felony probation violation. While ICE placed a detainer request on him, they do not expect it to be honored due to California’s sanctuary state law. Passed in 2017, it ensures that no state resources are used to assist federal immigration enforcement. In November of 2024, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed an ordinance that prohibits the use of city resources and personnel to carry out federal immigration enforcement.
One law enforcement source told the New York Post, “The lack of communication between local and federal law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles due to sanctuary policies put in place by LA city council and Governor Newsom have resulted in many arrests that have been unreported to and followed up by ICE. Many of which are criminals who have numerous encounters with local law enforcement for serious crimes.”
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Palisades fire is still only 19% contained, with 23,713 acres burned. The next largest fire, Eaton, is 45% contained with 14,117 acres burned. The Hurst fire 97% contained with 799 acres burned. The smallest fire, Auto, is 47% contained with 61 acres burned. The Santa Anna winds have picked up again, triggering red flags in the area and threatening more communities with the possibility of these fires spreading
