Evacuation alert sent in error to phones of nearly 10M L.A.-area residents

An evacuation alert was mistakenly sent to nearly 10 million residents in the Los Angeles area on Thursday afternoon, causing widespread panic. The erroneous message, which included a loud alarm, warned of an evacuation due to wildfires but was intended only for residents near the Kenneth Fire in Calabasas and Agoura Hills. Following the initial alert, officials issued a second message clarifying the mistake and advising recipients to disregard the first warning. Kevin McGowan, director of the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, stated that the correct zones were selected for the alert, and the cause of the error is still under investigation. This incident occurred amid ongoing wildfires that have already forced nearly 180,000 evacuations and resulted in at least six fatalities. The false alarm heightened anxiety among residents already on edge due to the wildfires, with many expressing their frustration on social media.

- An evacuation alert was sent in error to nearly 10 million residents in Los Angeles.

- The alert was intended only for those near the Kenneth Fire, not the broader area.

- Officials issued a follow-up message to clarify the mistake and reduce panic.

- The cause of the error is under investigation, with no indication of human error.

- Ongoing wildfires have already led to significant evacuations and fatalities in the region.