A consulting firm has concluded that Los Angeles County fire officials did not discriminate on the basis of race or socioeconomic status and did not delay evacuation orders during last year's deadly Eaton fire in Altadena.
Investigation Findings
California-based Citygate Associates conducted the investigation at the behest of the county and its fire department, examining how evacuation alerts were deployed after emergency response officials faced intense scrutiny over reported delays. The Eaton blaze began on the evening of 7 January 2025, ultimately destroying more than 9,000 buildings and claiming 19 lives in the San Gabriel Mountains' foothill communities.
Citygate reported that fire officials were often blind to the "atypical" fire's progression. The firm interviewed fire and sheriff's department officials and reviewed dispatch logs, weather data, and alert records. Aircraft operations were grounded due to high winds, and warnings and orders were issued as officials became aware of the fire's spread into north-western Altadena.
Community Concerns
Most of the individuals who perished lived west of Lake Avenue, a major north-south thoroughfare in a historic African American, middle-class enclave. Some media reports indicated that residents in west Altadena received evacuation orders nearly 10 hours later than those to the east, sparking outcry. In February, California Attorney General Rob Bonta launched a civil rights investigation into the emergency response.
Fire Chief Anthony Marrone stated, "The Altadena community deserves transparency, which is why I initiated this independent investigation. While the report provides an honest account of our operations, we recognize that no investigation can truly capture the horror and tragedy residents endured. My focus is to ensure that the lessons learned from the Eaton and Palisades fires are turned into lasting changes that will better protect our residents and neighborhoods."
Reasons for Delays
Citygate noted that evacuation planners relied on major north-south and east-west streets like Lake Avenue as anchors for evacuation zones. The firm also said the fire department's resources were stretched thin due to a rapidly expanding fire the same day in Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood about 34 miles to the west.
Community Group Response
Altadena for Accountability, a group supporting Bonta's investigation, criticized the report as "pages of deflection" in a Tuesday statement. "Fires and emergencies rarely come without chaos. First responders and tax-funded agencies have a duty to treat communities equitably and to prevent harm that is preventable," the group said. "The complexity of the fire is not an excuse." The advocacy group also faulted the firm's methodology, arguing that the emphasis on accounts from "department insiders" minimized the experiences of residents who were on the scene.
