April 14, 2025   View in browser By Shelby Grad Good morning. Here’s what you need to know to start your day. Times reporters press officials to answer essential questions about Los Angeles-area firestorms. Mystery deepens as another dead whale washes ashore in Southern California. These older women may be ‘heading for the coffin,’ but they’re getting laughs in L.A. And here’s today’s e-newspaper. Unanswered questions about L.A.-area firestorms More than three months after the L.A.-area firestorms, many essential questions remain unanswered. Times reporters have been digging into them, including filing numerous public records requests. In some cases, officials have declined to provide the documents, citing ongoing investigations. Times reporters Terry Castleman, Rebecca Ellis, Grace Toohey, Matt Hamilton, Paige St. John, David Zahniser, Dakota Smith, Julia Wick, Paul Pringle, Alene Tchekmedyian and Richard Winton have been searching for answers. Here is a rundown of what we want to know: Altadena Evacuations Gerald Pierre is overcome with emotion after seeing the devastation of the Eaton fire on Lake Avenue in Altadena. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) It took nearly eight hours after the start of the Eaton fire for officials to issue evacuation orders for residents of western Altadena. By then, fire was already burning into the area. Seventeen people who died lived in this area west of Lake Avenue. How were the decisions made on when to issue evacuation orders? What caused the delay in sending those evacuation orders? Who was responsible for ensuring the orders were sent? Empty Reservoir The Santa Ynez Reservoir in Pacific Palisades was empty during the Palisades fire. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) The 117-million-gallon Santa Ynez Reservoir was empty, awaiting a repair to its cover, when the Palisades fire hit. The tear was discovered in January 2024. Why did it take so long to begin repairs? What difference would a full reservoir have made for firefighters dealing with low water pressure in fire hydrants? Bass out of town Mayor Karen Bass was out of the country on a diplomatic trip to Ghana when the Palisades fire broke out. Bass has released some but not all of the text messages she sent and received while traveling. Who did she communicate with, and how involved was she in key decisions during the emergency? LAFD deployment in Pacific Palisades Firefighters returned to the Community United Methodist Church of Pacific Palisades on Jan. 12 to extinguish remaining hot spots. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) A Times investigation found that the Los Angeles Fire Department could have pre-deployed more engines and firefighters the morning of Jan. 7amid dire wind forecasts. LAFD leaders say those resources either weren’t available or were needed elsewhere. What resources, including personnel and engines, were available the morning of Jan. 7? Who approved the deployment plan that day?