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3mo ago

Delayed Evacuation Orders in Eaton Fire Raise Questions About Emergency Alert System

All 17 fatalities occurred in neighborhoods that received evacuation orders hours after the fire started, prompting calls for an independent investigation.

A burnt car sits outside a destroyed home amid the rubble of the fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates in Los Angeles, California, on January 13, 2025. Firefighters were battling massive wildfires on January 13 that have ravaged Los Angeles and killed at least 24 people, with officials warning of incoming dangerous winds that could whip up the blazes further. (Photo by AGUSTIN PAULLIER / AFP) (Photo by AGUSTIN PAULLIER/AFP via Getty Images)
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Firefighters extinguish burning embers at a house in Altadena, Calif., on Jan. 9.
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Overview

  • The Eaton Fire, which started on January 7, claimed 17 lives in western Altadena, where evacuation orders were delayed by several hours.
  • Residents in eastern Altadena received evacuation alerts within the first hour, while western neighborhoods were not warned until the fire was dangerously close.
  • Community leaders and residents have raised concerns about potential systemic inequities, as the delayed alerts affected predominantly racially diverse and working-class areas.
  • Los Angeles County Supervisors have called for an independent review of the county's emergency alert system to identify failures and improve future responses.
  • The fire, fueled by hurricane-force winds, destroyed over 9,000 structures, with investigators focusing on a high-voltage electrical tower as a potential ignition point.