LA County report on Eaton, Palisades fires says "outdated policies, inconsistent practices" led to alert failures
A Los Angeles County independent after-action report, which reviewed alerts, warnings, and evacuations during the Eaton and Palisades fires, found that there was not a "single point of failure" in agency response, but rather "a series of weaknesses."
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors called for the independent review to learn lessons and improve safety following the most destructive pair of wildfires in the county's history, together burning about 37,000 acres, destroying over 16,000 structures, and claiming 31 lives.
"My commitment is straightforward: we will take these findings and turn them into action so our communities are better protected in the future," Supervisor Chair Kathryn Barger said.
In total, nearly 250,000 residents were under evacuation warnings or orders as six separate fires ignited between Jan. 7 and Jan. 9 -- the review focused on county alert and evacuation activities within that general time frame.
Many Altadena-area residents reported that they never received warnings at the onset of the Eaton Fire, while others said they received notifications as they were already preparing to leave or had already evacuated.
The McChrystal Group conducted the review and analyzed the roles and actions of various county departments, including the Office of Emergency Management, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. It did not include actions or resources of federal, state, or incorporated city partners.
The report analyzed over 150,000 alert and evacuation data records, minute-by-minute GPS tracking of responding units, community, and emergency responder feedback. The county issued 32 evacuation warnings and 19 evacuation orders for the Palisades Fire, and for the Eaton Fire, 58 evacuation warnings and 100 evacuation orders were issued.
"While frontline responders acted decisively and, in many cases, heroically, in the face of extraordinary conditions, the events underscored the need for clearer policies, stronger training, integrated tools, and improved public communication," the report said.
The report also noted how the differences in location and conditions of the Palisades and Eaton fires affected alerts and evacuations.
"The Palisades Fire, which ignited during daylight hours in a community familiar with wildfire risk, benefited from strong interagency coordination, pre-positioned resources, and tested evacuation strategies," the report stated.
"In contrast, the Eaton Fire broke out at night amid extreme wind and power outages. The fire occurred in an area of the county not accustomed to wildfire risks in their neighborhoods and without the benefit of aerial surveillance and fire suppression."
Further system weaknesses included outdated and inconsistent policies, ambiguity in evacuation authority and responsibilities, equipment and personnel shortages, communications interoperability, and a lack of standardization across agencies.
Law enforcement and emergency managers also reported inconsistent training in wildfire evacuations.
"These gaps contributed to nonuniform preparedness strategies across jurisdictions and slowed coordinated efforts," the report stated.
"Future preparedness efforts will require a more integrated approach to public information in collaboration with interagency and community partners to enhance clarity,"
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is set to formally consider the report at its Tuesday, Sept. 30 meeting. At a Thursday afternoon news conference Supervisor Barger said she would be introducing a motion at the meeting calling for the immediate implementation of recommendations included in the report, with an emphasis on expanding and bolstering the capabilities and technology in the county Office of Emergency Management.
