Report: County Fire Department Will Hire Independent Investigator to Examine Altadena Evacuation Delay

The Los Angeles County Fire Department will hire an independent investigator to examine a reported three-hour delay in issuing evacuation orders to West Altadena residents during the Jan. 7 Eaton Fire, Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said Friday, according to the Pasadena Star-News.

Many residents reported that they, in fact, never received any evacuation notifications.

Friday evening, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger said she approves the effort to launch an independent review.

“I fully support launching an independent investigation into evacuation orders in West Altadena. The Fire Safety Research Institution Timeline Report has brought more data to light that warrants action,” Barger said in an email. “I will continue championing transparency and accountability. Altadena residents deserve nothing less.”

The report Barger referred to is a state-commissioned report released earlier this week that raised questions about the timeline of alerts issued as the fire spread through Altadena and Pasadena neighborhoods.

Released Thursday by the Underwriters Laboratories Fire Safety Research Institute it documents how the Palisades and Eaton blazes rapidly escalated into “urban conflagrations,” but local officials said the immediate priority is investigating the evacuation timeline in Altadena.

Marrone said the outside review is intended to provide accountability and clarity on how the evacuation process unfolded, according to the Star-News.