Investigation Finds No Discrimination in Eaton Fire Evacuation
Los Angeles County fire officials did not discriminate based on race or socioeconomic status, nor did they delay evacuation orders during the Eaton fire last year, according to a consulting firm’s report released Monday.
At the request of the county and its fire department, Citygate Associates, a California-based consulting firm, conducted an investigation into the deployment of evacuation alerts following the fire in January 2025. The inquiry was prompted by intense scrutiny of emergency response officials amid reports of delayed evacuation orders.
On the evening of January 7, 2025, the Eaton blaze ignited, ultimately destroying over 9,000 buildings and causing 19 fatalities in the foothill communities of the San Gabriel Mountains.
Citygate’s report acknowledged that fire officials were often unaware of the "atypical" fire’s rapid progression. The firm’s investigation included interviews with fire and sheriff’s department personnel and a review of dispatch logs, weather data, and alert records.
The report noted that aircraft operations were grounded due to high winds on the day of the fire. Warnings and evacuation orders were issued as officials became aware of the fire’s expansion into northwestern Altadena.
The majority of those who died resided west of Lake Avenue, a major north-south thoroughfare. This western corridor includes a historic African American, middle-class neighborhood.
Some media reports indicated that residents in west Altadena received evacuation orders nearly 10 hours later than those east of Lake Avenue, prompting public outcry from survivors. In February, California Attorney General Rob Bonta initiated a civil rights investigation into the emergency response.
"The Altadena community deserves transparency, which is why I initiated this independent investigation," said Fire Chief Anthony Marrone.
"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 into the future."
Addressing concerns about whether race and class influenced the emergency response, Citygate stated that evacuation planners used major north-south and east-west streets, such as Lake Avenue, as boundaries for evacuation zones.
The report also highlighted that the fire department’s resources were heavily strained due to a rapidly spreading fire on the same day in Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood approximately 34 miles (55 km) west of Altadena.
Altadena for Accountability, an advocacy group supporting Bonta’s investigation, criticized the report in a statement released Tuesday, calling it "pages of deflection."
"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 group also faulted the firm’s methodology, arguing that the reliance on accounts from "department insiders" diminished the experiences of residents who were directly affected.
