In Altadena, residents affected by the Eaton Fire are urging state Attorney General Rob Bonta to investigate Los Angeles County’s response to the January blaze. The group, Altadena for Accountability, is calling for an examination of delays in issuing evacuation orders to residents in western Altadena. According to Patch, the McChrystal Group’s “Independent After-Action Report” highlighted systemic failures in emergency notifications and evacuation procedures during the fire.
Residents, including fire survivor Cora Bella, expressed frustration with the report, which they claim failed to hold public agencies accountable. Bella stated,
“It shouldn’t be controversial to insist that we have an honest independent commission to examine the issues that wiped out this entire town and killed 20 people.”
The report revealed that while some areas received evacuation alerts early, others, particularly in historically Black neighborhoods, experienced significant delays. The Los Angeles Times reported that evacuation orders for the hardest-hit areas came hours after the fire started, leading to 17 deaths in Altadena.
The county Board of Supervisors has approved a motion to implement the report’s recommendations and explore expanding the Office of Emergency Management. Supervisor Kathryn Barger acknowledged the report’s shortcomings, stating, “There was a breakdown of communication somewhere along the line.” The community’s call for accountability highlights concerns about equity in the emergency response, with Earl Ofari Hutchinson of the Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable emphasizing that the predominantly Black neighborhoods received delayed warnings.
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