On Sunday, when the fire up in San Gabriel Canyon started, the reports were that it was due to a lightning strike. That seemed likely at the time, because there were a lot of thunderheads over the mountains. Here’s the view from my balcony in Redondo Beach about mid-afternoon on Sunday, a couple hours after it started.

Note the rain clouds above the mountains, particularly the flying-saucer-like cloud above the fire. The smoke from the fire itself can be seen to be rising up toward the clouds.

But now the Pasadena Star is reporting that the Forest Service claims that it was started by candles from a pagan ceremony.