Last night, part of Los Angeles had a large red glow in the sky. This could be seen looking south from Cherokee and Franklin. Here, it looked like a giant red orb in the distance. In some ways, it looked like the sunset. However, the sun had already gone down. Understandably, this got people talking about what it could be.

It turns out that the explanation for this unusual sight is very simple. Sadly, this isn’t some kind of extraterrestrial being or majestic going on either. It turns out that this is the work of the Torrance Mobile refinery. Sometimes, when working, their outlets will open to let out flares. When done at night, this can create a visual spectacle.

The Torrance Mobile refinery in Los Angeles is a major oil refinery that was originally built in 1929 to provide fuel for ships in the Los Angeles harbor. Over the years, the refinery has undergone several upgrades and renovations, including the addition of a hydrotreater to produce cleaner fuels and reduce emissions. Today, the Torrance Mobile refinery is an important part of the local energy infrastructure, supplying fuel to the surrounding area and contributing to the economic vitality of the region.

News of the refinery and the bright lights was first asked about on Reddit. Here, numerous users claimed it was the refinery that was currently undergoing flaring events.