LA County Releases After-Action Review of Alert Notification Systems and Evacuation Policies for the Eaton and Palisades Fires
Independent After-Action Report by McChrystal Group recommends systemic improvements following comprehensive overview of actions taken to alert, warn and evacuate residents
An independent after-action review of alerts and evacuations has been completed by McChrystal Group, providing a comprehensive picture of actions taken during the catastrophic January wildfires along with recommendations to help guide future Los Angeles County responses.
The review—the first in a series of after-action assessments by the County, state and others—did not identify a “single point of failure” in the County’s efforts to warn and evacuate residents in the face of multiple simultaneous fires in areas across the County, fueled by hurricane force winds that grounded all firefighting aircraft, created power outages, and made nighttime aerial surveillance impossible on the critical night of January 7.
Rather, the review, commissioned by the Board of Supervisors, found that a series of weaknesses, including “outdated policies, inconsistent practices and communications vulnerabilities,” hampered the effectiveness of the County’s response.
“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,” the report said.
The unprecedented wind-whipped January wildfires claimed 31 lives and destroyed 16,251 properties in Altadena and Pacific Palisades, along with parts of Los Angeles, Pasadena, Sierra Madre and Malibu.
The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to discuss the review and its findings and recommendations at the Board’s regularly scheduled public meeting on Tuesday, September 30.
“Survivors of the Eaton Fire deserve answers—and today’s report is an important step toward delivering them,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger. “I called for this independent review to make sure we had a clear, fact-based look at how alerts, warnings, and evacuations were handled. This isn’t about pointing fingers. It’s about learning lessons, improving safety, and restoring public trust. My commitment is straightforward: we will take these findings and turn them into action so our communities are better protected in the future.
“Our communities deserve transparency—and this report is a critical step toward accountability. It shows where we fell short during the January wildfires and where we must do better,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath, Third District. “This report is only as strong as the action that follows. As climate-driven disasters accelerate, we must stay focused on education and prevention, training, and community partnerships that make us truly prepared. In the Third District, emergency preparedness is a way of life—and I look forward to our community joining us for events this fall to strengthen our work together.”
To produce the after-action review—which was not intended to investigate or assess blame—McCrystal Group conducted interviews with 147 participants and hosted six community listening sessions. McChrystal has also been selected to conduct a second comprehensive review of recovery and repopulation efforts after both fires.
To view a full copy of the report, please click here.
Highlights of findings and recommendations are here.
A summary of County actions and improvements already taken or underway is available here.
For a summary of the report’s findings about Eaton Fire notifications and evacuations, click here.