Six months after a catastrophic wildfire swept through the neighborhood from Altadena to Palisade in the Pacific Ocean, information from those important times and days continues to arrive slowly like a dry fire hydrant.
Since January, KTLA has submitted requests for public records to city and county officials in Los Angeles to understand how the decision was made during the fire. After a few months of delay, the station received documents from the Los Angeles Water and Electricity Department, former Los Angeles Fire Department Kristen Crowley, Mayor Karen Bass, Mayor Marchech Harris Dawson, and the Federal Aviation Administration, among others.
Please read some of the original report:
“You Can’t Prepare for God’s Deed”: Newly Released Documents reveal gaps in Palisade’s Fire Response | KTLA Work Concerns, Media Spins between Texts to LAFD Chiefs in Wildfires | KTLA Google Chat Transcript Shows Desperate Reaction to Palisades Fire | KTLA Deletes Messages, Erases Chat, LA Dispute Fire Resistant | KTLA Dives into Firestorm: The Battle to Save Palisades | KTLA
Only on July 1st, KTLA received its first record from the Los Angeles County Emergency Management Department. The request called for digital communications, including email, texts and messages, on platforms such as WhatsApp, between January 1st and February 1st, 2025 and between February 1st, 2025.
At 2:48pm on Jan. 6, a Cal OES alert was sent to county officials warning that “strong winds will occur overnight, causing extreme fire hazards.”
Within hours, the worst wildfire disaster in Los Angeles history began, scorching thousands of acres and destroying the Palisard home in the Pacific Ocean.
At 4pm on Jan. 7, the White House contacted Los Angeles County officials and said, “We are actively monitoring wildfires in the Pacific Ocean in the Los Angeles area. We are sorry to all affected.
Later that night, at 8:01pm, the Disaster Management Office contacted the county on behalf of Sierra Madre.
“Fire Chief Brent Bartlett wants to request the assistance of OEMs in sending alert messaging for Sierra Madre’s Genasys zone,” the message read. “They are losing the ability of Knicksl, so they can’t send messages to residents. They’re flooded with phone calls as residents can see the fire from their homes.”
On Friday, January 10th, 2025, the devastation of the Palisade Fire will be seen early in the morning in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades area (AP Photo/John Locher)
The Genasys Alert System will later face surveillance as residents of the Eaton Fire Burn zone reported they were not being warned.
The email reviewed by the KTLA shows discussions on resident crippling shelters, distribution of N95 masks, veteran support, and donation management. However, during the most important times, there is little mention of Genasys, evacuation alerts, or important decisions.
In official communications, personal messages revealed human sacrifice. On January 8th, I read “Just reference and get some alerts here. Just above the hill from me, Chevy Chase Canyon. I hope it’s not a stat.” The other was sent at 3:04pm and said, “I am a registered nurse at Sherman Oaks… Need help?”
Authorities also discussed how to reach the public. In one email, Los Angeles County CEO Fesia Davenport wrote:
As the fire subsided, the focus shifted to recovery. In one email, OEM assistant director Leslie Luke wrote: “As we begin to move towards recovery, we will need short-term and long-term housing support. If we can identify who will help adjust housing issues, then Section 8 availability (I don’t know much about), fair market rates, housing solutions…”
The document provides a snapshot of the response, but with little context.
In March, the KTLA requested communication from Los Angeles County superintendent Lindsey Horvas. This request called for digital communications between January 1st and February 1st, 2025. This is related to fires, LAFD, mayoral base, wind events and chief crawleys.
On April 1, county lawyers confirmed that responsive records were found. On May 5th and June 2nd, KTLA was told that the record was “volume” and that more time was needed. On July 2nd, the deadline was once again extended before August 1st. It was extended almost seven months after the fire, more than five months after the initial request.
Each institution handles record requests differently. I’ve created some emails, texts, or chats. Others either edited remarkably or provided no records at all. Many use regulations in California’s public records law to extend deadlines.
As Los Angeles continues its long recovery, KTLA continues to seek answers.
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