A recent independent review has found that Los Angeles County’s response to the deadly wildfires in January was slowed by a lack of resources and outdated emergency alert procedures. The report, conducted by the McChrystal Group and commissioned by county supervisors, examined the county’s handling of the Eaton and Palisades fires, which resulted in more than 30 deaths and destroyed thousands of homes in Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
The report identified several weaknesses in the county’s response, including “outdated policies, inconsistent practices and communications vulnerabilities.” It highlighted critical staffing shortages, such as numerous vacancies among sheriff’s deputies and an under-resourced Office of Emergency Management. The review also noted that first responders struggled to share information due to unreliable cellular connectivity, inconsistent field reporting methods, and the use of different communication platforms.
“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 report is not intended to assign blame. Supervisor Kathryn Barger stated: “This isn’t about pointing fingers. It’s about learning lessons, improving safety, and restoring public trust.”
The Office of Emergency Management began preparing its staffing plan for anticipated heavy winds on January 3rd—four days before both fires started—but had sent an experienced staff member out of town for training. As a result, less-experienced staff were left in key positions during a critical period. The county had recently expanded its contract with emergency alert company Genasys; however, only four staff members were trained on the new system when the fires occurred.
The process for issuing evacuation alerts was described as slow and complicated. For example, during the Palisades Fire response, areas needing evacuation were identified by fire and sheriff’s departments before being relayed through multiple layers within the Office of Emergency Management prior to a public alert being issued. This process took between 20 and 30 minutes—an improvement over previous systems but still insufficient given how quickly fires moved.
Many alert methods required residents to opt-in or click additional links for full information. Incomplete messaging about fire progression was common due to limitations in the alert system. Power outages and cell tower failures further delayed notifications as fires advanced rapidly.
Before the fires began, LA County issued some warnings about incoming Santa Ana winds via social media and news releases but did not provide stand-alone preparedness messages.
Staffing shortages also affected evacuations directly. Some sheriff’s vehicles assisting with evacuations in one area were redirected as new fires broke out elsewhere. A lack of available vehicles hampered efforts across neighborhoods threatened by fire.
The report noted particular risks faced by vulnerable populations such as older adults who may not have received digital alerts or had mobility challenges.
Despite these issues, first responders—including sheriff’s deputies and firefighters—were praised for their actions evacuating senior care facilities, guiding public transit buses through dangerous areas, and rescuing people from burning homes. “This heroic response was driven by urgency and their commitment to save lives, but it also added additional complexity to their responsibilities as they worked to maintain broader operational oversight in the field,” according to the authors.
The Board of Supervisors will review the 133-page report at its meeting next Tuesday. Investigations into what caused both fires are ongoing.
After-action reports from other major wildfires—including those in Santa Rosa (2017), Paradise (2018), Malibu (2018), Colorado (2021), and Hawaii (2023)—have similarly found problems with emergency alert systems.
