Some Altadena residents say they didn't receive order to evacuate during Eaton Fire

ALTADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- When the Eaton Fire broke out, some people who live in Altadena say they never got the order to get out.

That's raising concerns about an emergency alert system that was supposed to let residents know when it was time to evacuate.

Some who live west of Lake Avenue told Eyewitness News they never got an order to evacuate, while many east of Lake were told to get out shortly after the fire erupted.

Nira Chow, who lost her home in the Eaton Fire, fled her home on the west side of Altadena without ever getting an order to do so. She said she would have acted faster if she had received an official notification.

Now nothing inside her home, other than a filing cabinet, is recognizable. She only left when neighbors called her saying they got the message to get out.

"That's when I started taking my passport and the deeds to the property and just drove off thinking I'm going to come back the next day," Chow said.

Bridget and Brian James also live on the west side of Altadena. They raced out of their home without ever hearing about an evacuation order. Bridget said she never got an alert on her phone and wasn't warned by a deputy to evacuate.

"It's disappointing," Brian said. "The fire was moving so quickly. I don't know what their resources were, I don't know what their challenges were, but we certainly didn't have the notice."

The Los Angeles Times reports that records it reviewed shows Altadena homeowners west of Lake Avenue did not get electronic evacuation orders until 3:25 a.m. Wednesday, several hours after the fire started. And even though some homes in that area are now destroyed, the Times reports those west of Lake Avenue never even received an evacuation warning.

ABC7 mapped out where lives were lost in the Eaton Fire. All of them in Altadena are west of Lake Avenue.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger is now calling for a third-party investigation.

"It is important for us to gather all of the facts, so that we have a complete picture of what happened," L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said. "And I make you this promise - that is going to be my priority moving forward."

During the Eaton Fire, the L.A. County Fire Department and Sheriff's Department worked with multiple agencies to issue and enact evacuation orders.

The Coordinated Joint Information Center issued the following statement:

"We acknowledge the immense loss and challenges faced by our communities during the fires and remain deeply committed to supporting those affected. While we cannot immediately comment on all factors leading to the tragic loss of life, once the immediate wildfire crisis has passed, there will be a comprehensive third-party evaluation of all response efforts."