In the early hours of Friday, residents of Beverly Hills received an evacuation alert from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, only to later learn it was sent in error. This came less than a day after a similar false alarm mistakenly reached millions of residents across Los Angeles County and beyond.
Around 4 a.m. local time, Beverly Hills residents were awakened by the alert, which was accompanied by the characteristic emergency alarm sound. Shortly afterward, city officials confirmed the message was sent in error. “There are no evacuations currently affecting BH,” the city clarified in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
A Pattern of Alert Errors
This mistake followed a similar incident Thursday afternoon when an evacuation warning was mistakenly broadcast to millions of phones, many far from the wildfire zones. The initial message, sent around 4 p.m., warned residents of an evacuation order, accompanied by a loud buzzing sound. A follow-up alert soon clarified that the warning was only intended for those near the Kenneth Fire, which had ignited in Calabasas and Agoura Hills.
“This warning was intended only for residents of Calabasas, Agoura Hills, and the West Hills community of Los Angeles,” said Kevin McGowan, director of the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, in a statement. However, the alert was inadvertently sent to nearly 10 million people, causing widespread confusion and anxiety.
McGowan explained that while the correct zones had been selected for the alert, a software error resulted in its distribution to a much broader area. “We do not understand at the moment what caused that error. It wasn’t a human error; the correct zones were initiated,” McGowan said during an interview with NBC Los Angeles. “We are working to troubleshoot that.” He also noted that other alerts sent during the windstorm and fires had been correctly issued.
Public Frustration and Anxiety
The false alarms came at a time of heightened anxiety for Los Angeles County residents, as wildfires continue to wreak havoc across the region. Tens of thousands of acres have burned, entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble, and nearly 180,000 people have been forced to evacuate. At least six fatalities have been reported, though the full toll remains unknown.
The erroneous alerts exacerbated public fear and frustration. Many took to social media to express their concerns.
- “My entire area just got an evacuation Amber alert, which turned out to be for West Hills, not Beverly Hills,” one user wrote on X. “Seriously? As if we’re not already anxiety-ridden enough.”
- “I got an evacuation warning phone alert in DTLA for a fire 20+ miles away,” another commented. “The little tech slip-ups are going to make things worse.”
Efforts to Address the Issue
Los Angeles County officials acknowledged the distress caused by the alerts and pledged to ensure greater accuracy in the future. “We understand that these wildfires have created great anxiety, hardship, and distress among our residents, and we are committed to sharing accurate information,” McGowan stated.
As investigations into the alert errors continue, the region remains on high alert. Residents are urged to stay informed through official channels and follow evacuation orders or warnings when issued. While technology is a critical tool in emergency management, these incidents underscore the need for rigorous testing and system reliability, especially during crises that demand clear and timely communication.
