LA County Response To Deadly Fires Slowed By Lack Of Resources, Outdated Alert Process

A lack of resources and an outdated emergency alert process led to delays in warning residents about the need to evacuate as flames began consuming neighborhoods during the deadly Los Angeles wildfires in January. That's according to an outside report commissioned by Los Angeles County supervisors after the Eaton and Palisades fires killed more than 30 people and destroyed thousands of homes. The report released Thursday says a series of weaknesses, including “outdated policies, inconsistent practices and communications vulnerabilities,” hampered the effectiveness of the county’s response. The county says it's not intended to investigate or assess blame.