California investigates delayed fire alerts in Altadena, where 19 died, over possible racial and disability disparities.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has launched a civil rights investigation into the delayed evacuation warnings during the January 2025 Eaton Fire, which killed 19 people and destroyed over 9,400 structures in Los Angeles. The probe focuses on whether race, age, or disability-based disparities affected the timing and delivery of alerts to west Altadena, a historically Black neighborhood where most fatalities occurred and warnings were issued hours after other areas. The investigation will examine the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s alert systems, protocols, and decision-making processes, amid concerns about inequitable emergency response and reliance on technology that may exclude vulnerable populations. The move follows advocacy from survivors and community groups calling for accountability, especially after similar flaws were seen in past disasters like the 2018 Camp Fire and 2023 Lahaina Fire.