A recent independent review has found that Los Angeles County’s response to deadly wildfires in January was hampered by a lack of resources and outdated emergency alert procedures. The report, conducted by the consulting firm McChrystal Group, was commissioned after the Eaton and Palisades fires resulted in more than 30 deaths and destroyed thousands of homes in Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
The review points to several weaknesses that affected the county’s ability to respond quickly. These included outdated policies, inconsistent practices, communication vulnerabilities, staffing shortages among sheriff’s deputies, and an under-resourced Office of Emergency Management (OEM). The report also highlighted problems with cellular connectivity and fragmented communication platforms among first responders.
“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,” according to the report.
County officials emphasized that the purpose of the review is not to assign blame. “This isn’t about pointing fingers. It’s about learning lessons, improving safety, and restoring public trust,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger.
The OEM began preparing its staffing plan on January 3 due to forecasted heavy winds. However, an experienced staff member was away at a training event when both fires ignited four days later. As a result, less-experienced personnel were left handling key positions during a critical time. Additionally, only four staff members had been trained on new emergency notification software from Genasys when the fires broke out.
The process for issuing evacuation alerts involved multiple steps across different departments before reaching residents. For example, during the Palisades Fire response, it took between 20 and 30 minutes for evacuation notices to be sent out—an improvement over previous systems but still too slow given how rapidly conditions changed.
Many alert methods required residents to opt-in or click additional links for full information. Some alerts lacked details about fire progression. Power outages and cell tower disruptions further delayed notifications as flames spread quickly through neighborhoods.
Before the fires started, warnings were issued regarding expected Santa Ana winds via social media and news releases; however, there was no dedicated preparedness messaging from county authorities.
Resource shortages continued during evacuations: some sheriff’s vehicles assigned elsewhere had to assist in Altadena once another fire broke out nearby. Limited vehicle availability slowed evacuation efforts further.
“Vulnerable populations, especially older residents who were not monitoring alerts due to a digital divide and possible mobility challenges, faced increased risks of delayed evacuation,” stated the authors of the report.
Despite these challenges, first responders—including sheriff’s deputies and firefighters—were recognized for their efforts evacuating senior care facilities and rescuing people from burning homes. “This heroic response was driven by urgency and their commitment to save lives,” wrote the authors.
The Board of Supervisors will review this 133-page report at its upcoming meeting next Tuesday. Investigations into what caused both fires are ongoing.
Past wildfires across California—including those in Santa Rosa (2017), Paradise (2018), Malibu (2018), as well as Colorado’s Marshall Fire (2021) and Hawaii’s Lahaina Fire (2023)—have also revealed problems with emergency alert systems.
