A consulting firm has concluded that Los Angeles County fire officials did not discriminate based on race or socioeconomic status during their response to the deadly Eaton fire that struck Altadena last January.

Citygate Associates, a California-based consulting firm, conducted the investigation at the request of the county and its fire department. The firm examined how evacuation alerts were deployed during the fire, which prompted scrutiny over reported delays in emergency response.

The investigation found that fire officials did not delay evacuation orders and that their response was not influenced by discriminatory factors. Emergency response officials had faced criticism following the fire for their handling of evacuation procedures.

However, an Altadena group dismissed the report, characterizing it as "pages of deflection" and criticizing the firm's reliance on "department insiders" rather than input from affected residents. The group's response suggests ongoing tensions between community members and county officials over the fire response.

The Eaton fire was one of several deadly wildfires that have impacted the Los Angeles area, raising questions about emergency preparedness and response protocols in fire-prone communities. The investigation represents an effort by county officials to address concerns about their handling of the emergency.