During the January firestorm in west Altadena, 74-year-old Juan Francisco Espinoza was found deceased, raising the death toll to 31 from the fires. Evacuation orders for his neighborhood were issued nearly 12 hours after the fire started, while electronic alerts for a more affluent area were sent out within an hour. Katherine Alcantara, a neighbor, recalled the chaos during the evacuation, highlighting the danger of receiving alerts when flames were already approaching homes. Ultimately, the delayed response has raised concerns about emergency preparedness and response efficacy in diverse communities.
Officials confirmed the presence of human remains in the only uncleared lot on La Venezia Court, where 74-year-old Juan Francisco Espinoza had lived alone with his dogs.
The confirmation of another fatality brings the Eaton fire death toll to 19, with the overall death toll from the Jan. 7 firestorm reaching 31.
Evacuation orders for residents came hours after the fire had already arrived, with Espinoza's neighborhood receiving alerts almost 12 hours after the fire started.
Electronic evacuation orders for the community east of Espinoza's home were sent out about an hour after the fire broke out.
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