Eaton Fire Probe: No Racial Bias in Evacuations Found

An independent investigation has found that Los Angeles County fire officials did not discriminate based on race or socioeconomic status during evacuation orders for the January 2025 Eaton fire. The California-based firm Citygate Associates conducted the review following intense scrutiny of emergency response operations.

The Eaton blaze, which began on January 7, 2025, ravaged over 9,000 buildings and resulted in 19 fatalities in Altadena and surrounding San Gabriel Mountains communities. Citygate's report indicated that fire officials were frequently unaware of the fire's "atypical" progression, with aircraft operations grounded due to high winds.

Evacuation warnings and orders were issued as the fire spread into north-western Altadena. Some media reports alleged that residents in west Altadena, a historic African American middle-class enclave, received orders nearly 10 hours later than those east of the Lake Avenue thoroughfare.

Despite these claims and a subsequent civil rights investigation by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Citygate found no evidence of discriminatory delay. The firm noted that evacuation planners used major streets as anchors for zones and that the fire department's resources were strained by a concurrent fire in Pacific Palisades.