Los Angeles, CA — When disaster strikes, emergency alert systems are supposed to provide critical information to help residents stay safe. But during the devastating wildfires that swept through Los Angeles in early January, these systems failed to notify residents promptly, leaving many in danger.

The deadly fires, fueled by strong winds, broke out on January 7. Evacuation orders for some areas, including Altadena, came too late, after homes had already been engulfed in flames. Los Angeles County officials, responding to community concerns, approved an external review to investigate how the alert systems performed during the Eaton Fire and the Palisades Fire. However, city officials did not address questions about the delays in some of the Palisades Fire alerts, although Fire Capt. Branden Silverman explained that evacuations take time to assess and execute.

This issue isn't unique to Los Angeles. Similar problems with emergency alert systems have been identified in past California wildfires, including the 2017 Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa, the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, the Woolsey Fire in Malibu, and the 2023 Lahaina Fire in Hawaii. These incidents show a troubling trend of delayed or inadequate emergency communications during major disasters.

The specifics of why some evacuation orders were delayed in Los Angeles may take months to uncover. Several residents who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire shared with The Associated Press that they received no alerts about the fire. Some only received a warning in the middle of the night, while others were forced to evacuate without any official notice.

Susan Lee, a resident of Altadena, said she didn't receive any alerts through the Nixle app, which she had signed up for. She and her family decided to leave on their own at around 10 p.m., after losing power and phone reception. "If we had even been informed that houses and other structures were burning down, we would have known better what was happening," she said. Tragically, by the time she received an alert around 3 a.m., her house had already burned down, along with irreplaceable family items.

Tricia Wachtendorf, the director of the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware, emphasized the importance of clear and specific alerts. Studies show that for alerts to be effective, they need to be understood, believed, and acted upon quickly. “Just because you send the message at 3 a.m. doesn’t mean someone is hearing it,” she said.

The situation was particularly challenging between midnight and 3:30 a.m. when first responders struggled to keep up with the growing fire. With resources stretched thin and hurricane-force winds grounding air support, firefighters had trouble getting a full picture of the fire’s spread. Meanwhile, residents continued to report burning homes as embers blew across the area.

By 12:07 a.m., evacuation orders were issued for neighborhoods to the east of North Lake Avenue in Altadena, but areas to the west—where the majority of deaths occurred—had not been alerted. This delay in notifications left many residents unprepared.

The delay continued into the early hours of the morning, and it wasn’t until just before 3:30 a.m. that evacuation orders were expanded to more areas. Jodi and Jeff Moreno, who were alerted by a neighborhood app, only received the first official warning around 2:30 a.m. when authorities began shouting through a bullhorn. They quickly evacuated with their three daughters, dog, and important documents. But by then, they had not received any text alerts.

In search of more information, the Morenos, along with other residents, turned to the Watch Duty app, which consolidates emergency alerts and maps evacuation zones. Since its launch in 2021, Watch Duty has helped residents track real-time information during emergencies. “The ideal system for warning people is informing them,” said Nick Russell, vice president for operations at Watch Duty. “But telling people why that discussion is taking place between law enforcement and fire is important.”

The process of issuing evacuation orders starts with recommendations from firefighters, which are then relayed to sheriffs who issue the final orders. However, this communication chain can be disrupted by technical issues such as poor radio connectivity or interference from the chaotic conditions on the ground.

In Los Angeles County, residents who signed up for emergency alerts through the AlertLACounty website were directed to a range of other neighborhood or city-specific alert systems. However, these systems often overlap and use different software, leading to questions about how well they coordinate. A 2024 Hazard Mitigation plan noted gaps in the alert system, particularly in areas with poor cellphone connectivity, but it has been given a low priority with a timeline for completion extending up to 10 years.

As the investigation into the failure of alert systems continues, officials in Los Angeles have pledged to fully engage with an independent review. The County Fire Department, Sheriff's Department, and the Office of Emergency Management are committed to improving the emergency notification process to ensure that residents are alerted in time during future disasters.