L.A. Officials Call for Investigation After Delayed Fire Evacuation Alerts

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:David McNew/Getty

David McNew/Getty

Days after17 people were killed in the Eaton Fire, Los Angeles County officials and residents in Altadena are questioning the efficacy of wireless emergency alerts that called for evacuation from the area.

While eastern portions of Altadena received evacuation orders less than an hour after flames were spotted in Eaton Canyon around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7, those on the town’s west side did not receive evacuation orders until 3:25 a.m. the next morning, according to theLos Angeles Times.

All of the victims from the Eaton Fire were located on the western side of Altadena, the newspaper reported.

“There’s no question that for some people having gotten that notification earlier would have saved a lot of grief, would have saved lives,” Ron Galperin, a former Los Angeles city controller, toldTheLos Angeles Times. “Obviously, the notification systems need some work.”

Now, county officials are calling for an independent investigation into the delay of the evacuation alert — which comes on the heels of other issues with the emergency alert system, includingerroneously calling for the evacuation of other parts of the countyon Thursday, Jan. 9.

“While I deeply appreciate the heroic efforts of our first responders, we owe it to our communities to assess and review our emergency notification systems,” Barger said in astatementon Tuesday. “This independent assessment will also ensure we are better prepared for future disasters and can act swiftly to protect lives and property.”

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While many residents who lost cell service say they were not able to receive the evacuation notice once they went out, the Coordinated Joint Information Center said its plan is not limited solely to wireless alerts.

“Wireless emergency alerts are only one of several means of notifying residents to evacuate their homes during a fire emergency,” officials said. “Our response also includes door knocks, patrols with loudspeakers driving up and down streets messaging the need to evacuate. This is a layered process and system intended to provide redundancy during local and widespread disasters.”

Representatives with Barger’s office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for additional comment.

The Eaton Fire, which burned through more than 14,000 acres, is at 95% containment as of Friday, Jan. 24,according to Cal Fire.

source: people.com