Rep. Chu Urges Adoption of Eaton Fire Emergency Response Reforms at Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Meeting

PASADENA, CA - Yesterday, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) sent a letterto the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in advance of its motion to adopt the recommendations of the Independent After-Action Review of the January 2025 Eaton and Palisades Fires, raising serious concerns about the report's findings.

The report confirmed that while residents east of Lake Avenue in Altadena were told to evacuate as early as 7:26 p.m., residents west of Lake Avenue - where 18 of the 19 deaths occurred - did not receive an evacuation alert until 3:25 a.m., hours after the first 911 calls from the area.

In her letter, Rep. Chu expressed support for the report's recommendations to clarify evacuation authority, improve interagency training and coordination, modernize communication and alert systems, and address staffing and equipment shortages. She also raised concerns about unanswered questions, particularly why West Altadena residents, who suffered the greatest losses, did not receive the timely warnings and response they so desperately needed and deserved. Her letter emphasized that the 19 lives lost must be placed at the center of this process, and requested regular updates on the County's progress implementing these reforms.

"I strongly urge the County to fully implement the recommendations outlined in this report, but also address the unresolved questions," wrote Rep. Chu. "The County must clarify evacuation authority and documentation, strengthen training and coordination across agencies, and address resource shortfalls by filling vacancies, updating equipment, and ensuring adequate staffing. It must also modernize situational awareness and interoperability so all agencies share real-time data, and improve public communication so warnings are immediate, automatic, and accessible without opt-ins or extra steps during an emergency. These are lifesaving measures that must be implemented with urgency and accountability. Should the Board adopt this report, I request that the County provide regular updates on its progress in implementing these recommendations so that the public can have confidence that these systemic failures are being addressed in a timely and transparent manner. We owe it to the victims, survivors, and their families to ensure that these evacuation delays and failures are never repeated.

The Eaton Fire was the second most destructive wildfire in California's history, killing 19 residents, destroying 9,500 structures, and displacing more than 20,000 people across Altadena and Pasadena.

To view the full letter click here.