Sen. Rick Scott, Chair Ron Johnson Pen Letter to California Parks and Rec Director Ahead of Field Hearing on Pacific Palisades Wildfires

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Rick Scott and Senator Ron Johnson, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, sent a letter to California Department of Parks and Recreation Director Armando Quintero requesting records related to the department's wildfire preparedness, mitigation, and response efforts, including the Palisades and Lachman fires in Los Angeles County. Senator Scott and Chairman Johnson are seeking information on the department's handling of wildfire prevention, prescribed burns, and arson investigations in Topanga State Park, where the Lachman fire is alleged to have originated. This request is part of the senators ongoing congressional investigation into the causes, response, and recovery efforts surrounding the January 2025 wildfires that devastated Los Angeles communities and claimed countless lives.

This letter comes as the senators are holding a field hearing in the Pacific Palisades on November 13. Additionally, Senator Scott and Chairman Johnson, as part of their investigation, have sent previous letters including to the president of the Los Angeles City Council, the mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Chief Executive Officer Janisse Quiñones, and the Los Angeles Fire Department's former Chief Crowley requesting information related to their responses and efforts during and after these wildfires. Senator Scott has also sent letters to the USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, DOI Secretary Doug Burgum, Attorney General Pam Bondi, DOT Secretary Sean Duffy, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Read the letter to Director Quintero HERE or below:

Dear Mr. Quintero:

In January 2025, several wildfires, including the Palisades fire, devastated Los Angeles County, California. These fires caused billions of dollars in damage to homes and businesses and tragically resulted in loss of life. Public reports have raised questions about Los Angeles's wildfire preparations and the response to the January 2025 wildfires, including the Palisades fire. The Palisades fire is alleged to have been a re-ignition of the earlier Lachman fire that originated as an act of arson in Topanga State Park.Topanga State Park is under the authority of the Department of Parks and Recreation ("DPR").

Pursuant to Senate Resolution 94 (119th Cong.), the United States Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (the "Subcommittee") is conducting a review of Los Angeles's wildfire mitigation and suppression efforts, including the response to the Palisades fire. In order to assist the Subcommittee in its review, please provide the following information and records. Unless otherwise stated, the period of time covered by this request is from February 1, 2022, to present.

1. All records referring or relating to wildfire preparation, suppression, and response (including alerts and evacuations) between December 28, 2024, and the present, including but not limited to the response to the Palisades and Lachman fires.

1. All records referring or relating to the Palisades and Lachman fires, including but not limited to:
2. 1. Any after action or other assessment of the cause of the Palisades and Lachman fires, including all communications related to suspected non-natural or man-made causes;
   2. All records referring or relating to the burn scar from the Lachman fire or whether the Lachman fire was fully extinguished;
   3. All records referring or relating to acts of arson, suspected acts of arson, or illegal fires committed in or causing damage to Topanga State Park;
   4. All communications referring or relating to Jonathan Rinderknecht; and
   5. All communications with residents of the Pacific Palisades.

1. All records referring or relating to prescribed burns in Los Angeles County, including in Topanga State Park, including but not limited to:
2. 1. Communications related to delaying prescribed burns for environmental or health and air quality concerns;
   2. The potential effects on endangered or protected species; or
   3. Any assessments or communications related to the potential effects of forgoing or delaying a prescribed burn on future wildfire severity.

1. All records referring or relating to response, suppression, and recovery procedures after a fire is ignited on land within the jurisdiction of DPR or State Responsibility Areas, including but not limited to:
2. 1. Training manuals and documents;
   2. Operations manuals and documents;
   3. Interagency agreements, memoranda of understanding, or letters of agreement with federal, state, or local entities;
   4. Agreements with Mountain Recreation & Conservation Authority, Santa Monica Mountain Conservancy, or mutual-aid or auto-aid response arrangements with other entities;
   5. Agreements involving State Responsibility Areas, Mutual Threat Zones, and Aerial Firefighting Contracts; and
   6. Any draft-current, completed, or active-of an after-action report.

1. All communications referring or relating to wildfire prevention, mitigation, or suppression, including but not limited to the Palisades and Lachman fires, between your agency or departments and any employee or official with the following entities:
2. 1. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power;
   2. Los Angeles Mayor's Office;
   3. Los Angeles City Council;
   4. Office of the Governor of California;
   5. Los Angeles Fire Department;
   6. Los Angeles County Fire Department; and
   7. Any federal agency or department.

Please produce this information as soon as possible, but no later than 5:00 p.m. EST on November 26, 2025. If you have any questions about this request, please contact Subcommittee staff at (202) 224-3721 and (202) 224-0909. Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this matter.

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