Six months after devastating wildfires swept through neighborhoods from Altadena to Pacific Palisades, information from those critical hours and days continues to arrive slowly — like the fire hydrants that ran dry.
Since January, KTLA has filed public records requests with Los Angeles city and county officials to understand how decisions were made during the firestorm. After months of delays, the station has received documents from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, former Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristen Crowley, Mayor Karen Bass, acting Mayor Marqueece Harris-Dawson, the Federal Aviation Administration and others.
Read some of our original reporting:
- ‘You cannot prepare for an act of God’: Newly-released documents reveal gaps in Palisades Fire response | KTLA
- Job concerns, media spin among texts to LAFD chief during wildfires | KTLA
- Google Chat transcripts show frantic response to Palisades Fire | KTLA
- Deleted messages, disappearing chats, and a firestorm of L.A. controversy | KTLA
- Flying into the firestorm: The fight to save the Palisades | KTLA
Only on July 1 did KTLA receive the first batch of records from the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management. The request sought digital communications — including emails, texts, and messages on platforms such as WhatsApp — to or from OEM Director Kevin McGowan between January 1 and February 1, 2025. The request focused on the Eaton and Palisades fires, emergency alerts, and communications involving LAFD, LA County Fire, Genasys, Mayor Bass, Chief Crowley and Southern California Edison.
On Jan. 6 at 2:48 p.m., a Cal OES alert was sent to county officials warning of “strong winds overnight creating extreme fire danger.”
Within hours, the worst wildfire disaster in Los Angeles history began, scorching thousands of acres and destroying homes in the Pacific Palisades.
On Jan. 7 at 4 p.m., the White House contacted Los Angeles County officials, stating, “We are actively monitoring the Pacific Palisades wildfire in the Los Angeles area. We are terribly sorry for all those affected. Please let us know if we can connect you to any support now or in the coming days.”
Later that evening, at 8:01 p.m., the Office of Disaster Management contacted the county on behalf of Sierra Madre.
“Fire Chief Brent Bartlett would like to request the assistance of OEM to help send alert messaging for Genasys zones in Sierra Madre,” the message read. “They have lost Nixle capabilities, so they are unable to message their residents. They are being inundated with calls as residents can see fire from their homes.”
The Genasys alert system would later face scrutiny, as residents in the Eaton Fire burn zone reported receiving no warnings.
The emails reviewed by KTLA show discussions about sheltering unhoused residents, distributing N95 masks, assisting veterans and managing donations. However, there is little mention of Genasys, evacuation alerts or key decision-making during the most critical hours.
Amid the official correspondence, personal messages revealed the human toll. On Jan. 8 at 7:05 a.m., one message read, “Just FYI, getting some alerts here re: Chevy Chase Canyon, just over the hill from me. Hoping not to be a statistic.” Another, sent at 3:04 p.m., read, “I am a registered nurse in Sherman Oaks… Do you need help?”
Officials also discussed how to better reach the public. Los Angeles County CEO Fesia Davenport wrote in one email, “I want to make sure I receive the messages from this account. Also, can you post the fire stuff on my LinkedIn, X — so that I can lead by example.”
As the fires subsided, the focus shifted to recovery. In one email, Deputy OEM Director Leslie Luke wrote, “As we begin to transition to Recovery, we’re going to need assistance with short- and long-term housing. If we can identify someone to help coordinate housing issues, Section 8 availability (I know not much), fair market rates and housing solutions…”
The documents offer snapshots of the response, but little context.
In March, KTLA requested communications from Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, whose district includes much of the Palisades burn zone. The request sought digital communications from Jan. 1 to Feb. 1, 2025, related to the fires, LAFD, Mayor Bass, wind events and Chief Crowley.
On April 1, the county legal counsel confirmed that responsive records had been located. On May 5 and June 2, KTLA was told the records were “voluminous” and more time was needed. On July 2, the deadline was extended again to on or before Aug. 1 — nearly seven months after the fires and more than five months after the initial request.
Each agency has handled records requests differently. Some produced emails, texts or chats. Others redacted heavily or provided no records at all. Many have used provisions in the California Public Records Act to extend deadlines.
As Los Angeles continues its long recovery, KTLA continues to seek answers.
The post Six months after the fires, critical records still trickling in appeared first on KTLA.
