Commentary: Bungled warnings hit weary Eaton and Palisades fire victims like 'a sucker punch'

"In the case of the Eaton fire, my Times colleagues Grace Toohey and Terry Castleman reported Saturday that as the blaze spread on the evening of Jan. 7, firefighters in the field urged a broader evacuation. But the orders were delayed by three hours in West Altadena, where 18 people died and numerous residents raced for their lives as thousands of homes were incinerated."

"In the case of the Palisades blaze, Times staffers Alene Tchekmedyian and Paul Pringle reported last week that a review of texts reveals that firefighters warned a battalion chief that a New Year's Day brush fire still was smoldering the next day. But they were ordered to leave the area, and federal authorities said five days later the fire reignited, killing 12 people and displacing thousands."

Victims of the Eaton and Palisades fires faced further harm as operational failures by fire personnel worsened outcomes. As the Eaton blaze spread on the evening of Jan. 7, firefighters in the field urged a broader evacuation but orders were delayed by three hours in West Altadena, where 18 people died and thousands of homes burned. In the Palisades, firefighters warned a battalion chief that a New Year's Day brush fire still smoldered the next day but were ordered to leave; federal authorities said the fire reignited five days later, killing 12 and displacing thousands. Residents reported indignation over staffing, strategy, and failure to use thermal imaging to detect underground embers.

Read at Los Angeles Times