What caused the Palisades Fire? Residents point to New Year’s Day blaze [Video]

PACIFIC PALISADES, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — As federal investigators continue their probe into what caused the deadly Palisades Fire, some residents believe the blaze may have started nearly a week earlier.

Investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are narrowing in on a hillside above a neighborhood in the Palisades Highlands area. Officials say the team will conduct an origin and cause examination of the Pacific Palisades fire.

Residents who live nearby believe the destructive Jan. 7 fire could have been a re-ignition of a brush fire that occurred in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day.

Jeremy Wineberg, who lives in the Palisades Highlands, says the New Year’s Day fire went ignored.

“The story kind of came and went. No one knew about the fire,” Wineberg said.

The Jan. 1 fire burned less than 10 acres near Wineberg’s home. Wineberg and other residents say the mop-up effort following that fire was quick.

“This was negligence on …