Shocking new theory may have found the cause of devastating LA wildfires

A shocking new theory may have found the cause of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires that have now claimed the lives of two dozen people.

According to the coroner’s office, the death toll from wildfires in LA has now risen to 24 as forecasters again warned of dangerous weather with the return of strong winds this week.

The Los Angeles County coroner’s office said eight of the deaths were attributed to the Palisades fire, and 16 resulted from the Eaton fire. At least 16 people are still missing, and authorities are saying that number is expected to rise.

The fires in question started last week (7 January), and evidence reviewed by The Washington Post has since found that they may have been started by the rekindling of a New Year's Eve blaze.

The evidence suggests the Palisades fire was ignited in the same spot firefighters put out flames just a week prior.

The fire crew were called to the Pacific Palisades a little after midnight on New Year's Day to a small brush fire residents claim was started by fireworks.

"The foot of the fire started real close to where the last fire was on New Year’s Eve," said a Los Angeles County firefighter, according to the outlet's review of archived radio transmissions.

The Los Angeles wildfires have now claimed the lives of at least 24 people (Official Flickr Account of CAL FIRE / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

"It looks like it’s going to make a good run," one added.

Dubbed the Lachman Fire, it was reportedly held at eight acres and contained at 4:46 am, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).

The Washington Post also obtained satellite imagery which identified a 'burn scar' of the NYE fire with additional imagery taken on Tuesday - the day the Palisades fire broke out - indicating that the origin of the smoke overlapped with the burn scar.

The outlet reported: "The Post’s analysis showed that the new fire started in the vicinity of the old fire, raising the possibility that the New Year’s Eve fire was reignited, which can occur in windy conditions, experts said."

The fires started last Tuesday (7 January) (Nick Ut/Getty Images)

"We know that fires rekindle and transition from smouldering to flaming," said Michael Gollner, a professor of mechanical engineering and fire scientist at the University of California at Berkeley who reviewed The Post’s materials. "It’s certainly possible that something from that previous fire, within a week, had rekindled and caused the ignition."

According to the outlet, residents also told investigators on scene that the firefighters' response on Tuesday was 'much slower' than on New Year’s Eve - a view 'confirmed by radio transmissions'.

Tyla has reached out to the Los Angeles Fire Department for further comment.