Attorney General Bonta Announces Investigation into Eaton Fire Emergency Response in West Altadena

LOS ANGELES — California Attorney General Bonta today formally announced the commencement of an investigation by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) related to the emergency response to the Eaton Fire. Specifically, the investigation will seek to determine whether there was potential race, age, or disability discrimination in the emergency preparations and response in the historically Black community of West Altadena. The Eaton Fire burned 14,021 acres, killing at least 19 people, destroying over 9,000 buildings, and becoming one of the deadliest fires in California history. The average age of the people who died was 77 years old. 

“Today, the California Department of Justice formally announces an investigation into the emergency response during the 2025 Eaton Fire. My office will be investigating whether there was race, age, or disability discrimination in the emergency response in West Altadena, which claimed the lives of at least 19 people. Specifically, we'll be looking at whether the systems and structures at play contributed to a delay in the County’s evacuation notice and possible disparities in emergency response in West Altadena,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The West Altadena community rang the alarm and brought compelling evidence to the attention of my office. We know that evacuation warnings for the historically Black neighborhood of West Altadena came many hours after these same warnings were sent to the rest of Altadena. We must let the facts uncovered by our investigation determine what went wrong here, but one thing holds true: The people of West Altadena deserve answers to their questions and deserve institutions that are responsive to their concerns, and institutions they can trust. As the People’s Attorney, I and the entirety of the California Department of Justice work for the People. I thank the communities that reached out, spoke up, and organized during a time of immense grief, loss, and rebuilding.”

The investigation will be spearheaded by DOJ’s Civil Rights Enforcement Section. DOJ's investigation will focus on potential violations of civil rights laws, legal questions that fall under DOJ’s purview. While DOJ is committed to transparency, in order to protect the integrity of this investigation, no further updates can be given at this time.