An emergency phone alert issuing an evacuation warning for L.A. County residents was sent in error on Thursday, officials said.

The message from the Emergency Alert System was received by residents from Boyle Heights to Manhattan Beach at approximately 3:57 p.m. It read:

“This is an emergency message from the Los Angeles Fires Department. An evacuation warning has been issued in your area. Remain vigilant of any threats and be ready to evacuate. Gather loved ones pets, and supplies.”

In a post on X and a follow-up alert, the L.A. City Emergency Management Department said the alert was sent in error and was meant for those near the Kenneth Fire burning in the West Hills area.

The message caused many to question their safety and drove scores of people to panic on social media.

“WTH La County alert system? Everyone’s on edge as it is. People are taking these alerts seriously. How can you send them out in error?” one reader commented on Instagram.

My background: I was born in Mexico and raised in Boyle Heights, where I got my start in journalism by launching a community blog. Most recently, I worked at the Los Angeles Times and have spent most of my career covering local news in LA, with a focus on community-centered stories, Latino communities and mentoring emerging writers.

What I do: I lead coverage of Boyle Heights and East LA across all platforms to inform, connect and uplift our community. I spend my days listening, planning, editing and coordinating to make sure our stories reflect the community fairly, while supporting and mentoring my team of reporters and freelancers so they can grow along the way.

Why LA?: It’s home. It’s the sounds of Spanglish and other languages, the smell of tacos and kimchi, the way street art tells stories and how, even though I hate traffic, I love how the freeways can take me to the beach or the mountains on a whim.

The best way to contact me: My email is jessica.perez@boyleheightsbeat.org.

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