Delays in Evacuation Alerts Contribute to Deaths in Altadena’s Eaton Fire, L.A. Times Reports

The Eaton Fire from Lake and Washington, Jan. 7 @ 6:55 pm (Photo – Wendy Terrones)

An L.A. Times article highlights significant delays and failures in the evacuation response as the Eaton fire spread in Altadena during the early morning hours of January 8, 2025.

By Rena Kurlander

Records and interviews reveal that residents west of Lake Avenue were not notified of evacuation orders until hours after the fire had already begun spreading.

The fire, which started around 6:30 pm, spread westward through the night, but the first electronic evacuation alert for those west of Lake Avenue did not go out until 3:25 am, by which time many homes were already burning. As a result, many of the 17 confirmed fire-related deaths occurred in these delayed evacuation areas.

Although evacuation warnings were issued to other parts of Altadena earlier in the evening, residents of the western neighborhoods were left unaware of the imminent danger until much later. Many residents, expressed frustration in the L.A. Times article over the lack of timely notifications and the absence of emergency personnel in their neighborhoods during the critical hours. Survivors described a chaotic situation where they had to rely on their own observations to make decisions to evacuate.

Los Angeles County officials acknowledged the failure and promised a thorough review of the emergency response. The delays and discrepancies in evacuation notifications, particularly in light of the area’s racial and historical context, have raised concerns about failures in public safety.