Los Angeles County officials are reviewing the emergency alert system after residents in parts of Altadena did not receive evacuation warnings for the Eaton Fire until nine hours after the blaze started. The fire, fueled by strong Santa Ana winds, resulted in 17 deaths, all in neighborhoods that were not alerted in time.
Now, LA County supervisors are launching an investigation into the delayed alerts, as well as evaluating ways to improve evacuation policies and emergency notifications.
Delayed Alerts in Altadena: What Went Wrong?
Timeline of Emergency Alerts
📍 Jan. 7, 6:18 p.m. – The Eaton Fire starts in the foothills west of Lake Avenue.
📍 Jan. 7, 6:48 p.m. – An evacuation warning is issued for eastern Altadena, 30 minutes after the fire started.
📍 Jan. 8, 3:25 a.m. – A delayed evacuation alert finally reaches western Altadena, nine hours later.
The 17 fatalities occurred in western Altadena, where the alert did not arrive until 3:25 a.m.. Meanwhile, some areas between east and west Altadena received no evacuation warnings at all.
Santa Ana Winds Fueled a Fast-Moving Fire
Officials described the Santa Ana windstorm that night as one of the worst they had ever seen. The winds carried burning debris for miles, causing the fire to spread at an alarming rate.
LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger shared an account from a firefighter:
“I talked to a firefighter who said he saw chunks of wood… on fire literally going up and flying miles. This was like nothing we’ve ever seen.”
Could a Faster Alert Have Saved Lives?
The delayed warning raises serious questions about the effectiveness of LA County’s emergency alert system. Supervisor Barger acknowledged the heartbreaking reality:
“I don’t know if even a notification would’ve changed the outcome in that situation. But I do know the fire was traveling fast.”
Steps to Improve Emergency Alerts
To prevent future tragedies, LA County officials are taking action:
- Investigation Underway – Officials are reviewing why the alert was delayed and why some areas never received warnings.
- Evacuation Policy Review – A consultant will be hired to assess evacuation strategies and alert effectiveness.
- Database for At-Risk Residents – The county is developing a system to track bed-ridden and non-ambulatory residents to ensure they receive assistance during evacuations.
- After-Action Report – A full review of the Eaton Fire response will be completed within 90 days.
Emergency Alert System Glitch Caused Countywide Confusion
Adding to the chaos, a separate error in the emergency alert system mistakenly sent an evacuation warning to all of Los Angeles County instead of just the West Hills area.
Kevin McGowan, director of LA County’s Office of Emergency Management, apologized for the mistake, explaining:
“The correct zones were initiated, however, there was an error in the system that then sent the emergency alert to the entire county.”
A correction message was sent minutes later, but the confusion highlighted flaws in the system.
Supervisor Barger also received an evacuation alert days after the fire, when residents were already returning home.
The Eaton Fire tragedy has exposed serious flaws in LA County’s emergency response system, raising concerns about delayed warnings, system errors, and evacuation policies. With 17 lives lost, officials are now reviewing evacuation procedures, improving emergency alerts, and ensuring at-risk residents receive assistance.
While the investigation continues, the goal is clear—to prevent another disaster like this from happening again.
