Congressman Robert Garcia Releases Oversight Report on Lessons From Kenneth Fire False Alerts

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42) released a report with key findings on the causes of false evacuation warnings during the Kenneth Fire on January 9, 2025, and policy recommendations to improve emergency warning alerts. The full report can be found here.

"The Kenneth Fire false alert was a wake-up call," said Congressman Robert Garcia. "It showed the consequences of software failures, vague message wording, and a lack of federal standards. We must modernize our emergency alert systems to ensure that warnings are accurate, timely, and targeted. The public’s trust is at stake."

On February 13, 2025, Congressman Garcia and thirteen Members of Congress representing Los Angeles County sent oversight letters seeking answers to why evacuation warnings were accidentally sent to nearly 10 million L.A. County residents during the Los Angeles fires, why individuals received delayed warnings, or why individuals received multiple warnings.

Responses were received from Genasys, Inc., the software company used by the County for issuing wireless emergency alerts, Los Angeles County, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The Kenneth Fire serves as a critical reminder of the importance of robust emergency communication systems. Congress and federal agencies must act swiftly to close identified gaps and ensure the public receives accurate and life-saving information when disaster strikes.

The report’s key findings noted:

• The initial false alert was caused by a software failure in Genasys, Inc.’s system. The correct evacuation area polygon was not uploaded to the IPAWS wireless alert channel, which Genasys believes was due to a network disruption. Genasys’ system failed to warn the LA County Office of Emergency Management that the polygon was missing, and the alert was to be sent county-wide. Genasys has since added safeguards to its software to address this issue.
• LA County responded quickly, canceling the alert within 2 minutes and 47 seconds, and issued a corrected message 20 minutes later. The County temporarily transitioned to CalOES’ Onsolve CodeRed alert system and resumed use of Genasys on January 30, 2025.
• LA County could improve the wording of alert messages. The wording of the original alert was vague and lacked geographic specificity. Improved language and inclusion of timestamps would have helped avoid confusion, especially for individuals outside the evacuation zone.
• Duplicate and delayed alerts were not caused by downed cell towers, as initially thought, but by technical issuessuch as network overload, lack of unique message identifiers, and long alert durations.

Policy recommendations included:

1. Increase funding for IPAWS systems – Federal support is needed for planning, equipment, training, exercises, and system maintenance.
2. Finalize FEMA’s IPAWS requirements – Five years after Congress mandated improvements, FEMA has yet to fully implement certification programs for users and third-party software providers.
3. The FCC should ensure mobile providers include location-aware maps by the December 2026 deadline – Last October, the FCC passed a requirement for wireless services providers to include links to maps that show the emergency incident and your location relative to the incident by December 2026.
4. The FCC should establish performance standards – The FCC should develop measurable goals and monitoring for Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) performance, including reliability, accuracy, and speed.

By addressing these challenges, emergency alerting can become more accurate, reliable, and effective in future crises.

Congressman Garcia is dedicated to ensuring that government operations are efficient, effective, and safe, especially during emergencies. After the devastating LA wildfires in January, he led a letter with LA colleagues to Genasys Inc., Los Angeles County, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) demanding answers regarding accidental emergency alerts. Individuals received delayed evacuation warnings, some received the same message multiple times, and millions received unnecessary warnings. As Mayor of Long Beach, Congressman Garcia helped establish the AlertLongBeach system to provide those who live or work in the city with text alerts containing important information before, during, and after a major emergency or disaster. Congressman Garcia’s leadership on the Oversight Committee ensures that government operations are effective and responsive to crises. Congressman Garcia led dozens of his colleagues in calling on FEMA to honor their commitment to reimbursing California cities and counties for providing shelter options for individuals experiencing homelessness during the pandemic. 

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