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The Associated Press
An Associated Press analysis of emergency communications shows that the first evacuation order covering neighborhoods closest to the start of the devastating Pacific Palisades wildfire didn't come until about 40 minutes after some of those homes were already burning. The wildfire, which would become one of the most destructive in California history, was spreading rapidly in ornamental plantings and burning homes by 11:27 a.m. on Jan. 7, recordings of scanner traffic reveal. So many people fled on their own as wind-whipped flames raced over the nearby hills that by the time authorities issued the order to evacuate at 12:07 p.m., traffic was gridlocked. Authorities would eventually use a bulldozer to clear abandoned cars from the road.
The first evacuation order covering neighborhoods closest to the start of the devastating Pacific Palisades wildfire didn't come until about 40 minutes after some of those homes were already burning, according to an Associated Press analysis of emergency communications and interviews with survivors.
The wildfire, which would become one of the most destructive in California history, was spreading rapidly in ornamental plantings and burning homes by 11:27 a.m. on Jan. 7, recordings of scanner traffic reveal. So many people fled on their own, as wind-whipped flames raced over the nearby hills, that by the time officials issued the order to evacuate at 12:07 p.m., traffic was gridlocked.
Authorities would eventually urge people to exit their cars and leave on foot, and then used a bulldozer to clear away abandoned vehicles and make way for fire crews.
Despite the timing of the order, nearly all the residents of Pacific Palisades made it to safety -- a relief that some attributed to the hyper-awareness of fire danger in a region frequently scarred by it, the efforts of first responders, the initiative that many took to evacuate on their own, and the fact that the fire broke out in broad daylight, when those nearby were awake to notice it.
It also could undermine public confidence in public alert systems, which were beset with erroneous or outdated notifications later in the week. Many residents have instead been relying on Watch Duty, a nonprofit app that provides real-time updates on wildfire activity, evacuations and shelters.