LOS ANGELES, CA – As wildfires continue to sweep through parts of Los Angeles County, some residents are defying evacuation orders in an effort to protect their homes from looters, taking both security and disaster preparedness into their own hands.
EveAnna Manley, a resident of Altadena for 20 years, said she has spent years preparing her property for natural disasters like the Eaton Fire, which has already burned 14,117 acres and was 45% contained as of Wednesday night. Despite evacuation warnings, Manley decided to stay behind, citing concerns over looters and her readiness to handle potential fire threats.
“I do have firearms, and I’ve been calling my friends to make sure I know how to legally exist with them,” Manley said. Her neighborhood remains closed to traffic, with law enforcement guarding against trespassers. “It’s a hard no blockade, and I’m glad for that. I want the hard no because I don’t want anyone else up here. There have been reports of looting, and that’s frightening.”
Concerns over theft in evacuation zones are not unfounded. Authorities reported approximately 50 arrests for alleged looting in wildfire evacuation areas across Los Angeles County as of Wednesday. The incidents have prompted local leaders to propose stricter penalties for such crimes. On Tuesday, L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman and Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer proposed legislation that would make looting during a local emergency a felony punishable by a state prison sentence. If passed, looting would also count as a strike under California’s Three Strikes Law, making it harder to expunge from criminal records.
For Manley, the decision to stay was bolstered by years of preparation. Inspired by a former neighbor who installed a whole-house generator and stockpiled water, she made her home more fire-resistant by replacing wood shingles with concrete ones and preparing for emergencies.
“We live in California, after all, so there can be earthquakes, mudslides,” Manley said. “I learned from my neighbor, and I followed after that.”
When power was shut off in her area during the Eaton Fire, Manley focused on supporting others who chose to stay behind, offering them hot showers, laundry access, and meals.
Local authorities continue to urge residents to follow evacuation orders to ensure safety as conditions remain unpredictable. Fire officials warn that staying behind poses significant risks, even for those who are well-prepared.
The Eaton Fire remains under close watch as containment efforts progress. Meanwhile, discussions around stronger penalties for looting reflect growing concerns about protecting displaced communities from opportunistic crime during disasters.
