Huge fires in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles and around Altadena have consumed 35,000 acres, razing thousands of buildings and killing 10 people.
Emergency managers in Los Angeles apologized Friday after false evacuation alerts sparked panic in a city on edge over an unprecedented wildfire disaster. Millions of mobile phones blared on Thursday afternoon and again on Friday morning with automated warnings urging people to be ready to flee.
This is an emergency message from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. An EVACUATION WARNING has been issued in your area, the message read. On Thursday, it was widely distributed to areas miles away from the danger zones.
Be vigilant of threats while being prepared for evacuation. Bring loved ones, pets, and supplies. Gigantic fires in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles and surrounding Altadena have scorched 35,000 acres, incinerating thousands of structures and killing 10.
For many Angelenos, the alert system was the first they knew of the blazes and the need to evacuate. A correction was issued 20 minutes later, clarifying that the alert only applied to the new Kenneth Fire raging north of the city.
Still, a similar false message was broadcast around 4 am Friday. Kevin McGowan, director of the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, said the computer errors had caused “frustration, anger (and) fear.\”
“I can’t express enough how sorry I am,\,” he told reporters. McGowan said he was working with specialists to discover what had gone wrong and why so many people were sent messages that did not apply to them.
“I implore everyone not to disable the messages on your phone,” he said. This is extremely frustrating, painful, and scary, but these alert tools have saved lives during these emergencies.”
Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said the error was “unacceptable.” I want to express my deepest frustration with an alert system causing confusion and a lot more fear for our communities at this worst time of utmost crisis,” she said.
