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CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES - JANUARY 8: Torrance Firefighters are seen gearing up to fight the Palisades Fire, as residents try to escape the site in Pacific Palisades, California, Los Angeles, United States on January 8, 2025. A fast-moving wildfire has forced 30,000 people to evacuate, with officials warning that worsening winds could further escalate the blaze. (Photo by Jon Putman/Anadolu via Getty Images)
With fires burning across the Los Angeles area, it is more important than ever to understand the information that government agencies put out.
But the terminology surrounding evacuations can be confusing. The California Office of Emergency Services has a standardized list of terms which it recommends local governments use. Under their scheme, a warning indicates a potential threat, and an order indicates an actual one. Warnings mean that people should be aware, while orders mean they need to take action.
But local agencies are not required to use this language. Many in the L.A. area comply — including Ventura County, CalFire, L.A. County, L.A. City, and others — but some do not. As such, it is important to check.
An evacuation warning indicates an area could potentially be evacuated in the near future. It is intended to give residents additional time to prepare. However, evacuation orders sometimes occur without a prior warning if conditions change rapidly.
If you are under an evacuation order, you need to leave immediately. Orders indicate an immediate threat to life. You will not be allowed back until the order is lifted.
However, some agencies do issue “voluntary evacuation orders,” which are more similar to the warnings described above. These indicate a potential threat, but not an immediate one.
The California Office of Emergency Services sends emergency alerts out via cell phone through the Wireless Emergency Alerts system. Residents should make sure that emergency alerts are switched on in their cell phone settings in order to make sure they receive these.
Additionally, evacuation orders can be found on the websites of government agencies which issue them. The City of L.A. maintains their evacuation orders at https://emergency.lacity.gov/updates.
