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Flawed emergency alert systems lagged when residents needed them most during Los Angeles wildfires

After wind-driven wildfires broke out in Southern California on January 7th, evacuation orders for some neighborhoods came late, after houses were already on fire.
Los Angeles County officials approved an outside review of how emergency alerts functioned during the Eaton and Palisades Fires, in response to residents' demands.
Issues with emergency alert systems have been a common problem in other major California wildfires, such as the 2017 Tubbs Fire, 2018 Camp Fire, and the 2023 Lahaina Fire in Hawaii.

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USA Today

Los Angeles reservoirs filled before blazes, except for one needing repairs

Except for a reservoir with a damaged cover that had to be drained, Los Angeles had kept its reservoirs filled before the January 2025 wildfires.

1 month ago·United States

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Fast Company

Wildfires expose flaws in L.A.’s emergency alert systems

When disaster strikes, government emergency alert systems offer a simple promise: Residents will get information about nearby dangers and instructions to help them stay safe.As the deadly L.A. wildfires and other major emergencies have shown, alerts rely on a complicated chain of communication between first responders, government administrators, third-party companies, and the public.Sometimes, the chain breaks.After the wind-driven wildfires bro…

1 month ago

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Fox 11 LA

LA fires: Flawed emergency alert systems lagged when residents needed them most

One resident said she didn't get any alerts specific to her west Altadena neighborhood before she and her family left of their own accord around 10 p.m. Only after 3 a.m. did she see a notification about evacuating.

1 month ago

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Associated Press News

+18 Reposted by 18 other sources

Too little, too late: Residents say they were in the dark as fire spread with no evacuation order

1 month ago·United States

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ems1.com

Calif. wildfires highlight complicated chain of evacuation communication

Several residents who lost homes in the Eaton Fire received no notifications about their neighborhoods

1 month ago

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Antelope Valley Press

Residents say they were in dark as fire spread

LOS ANGELES — When disaster strikes, government emergency alert systems offer a simple promise: Residents will get information about nearby dangers and instructions to help them stay safe.

1 month ago

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