From Hurricanes to Wildfires: A Personal Look at the Power of Communication in Disaster Response

By Alen Burger

My heart goes out to all those affected by the devastating 2025 California wildfires. Writing this article was harder than most—it’s deeply personal and carries the weight of the immense loss and resilience of so many. Having recently navigated two hurricanes with my family, I’ve seen firsthand how critical communication is during a crisis. Effective communication can save lives, while its absence can compound stress, fear, and uncertainty.

For us during the hurricane crisis, Duke Energy Corporation 's clear and empathetic updates provided a beacon of calm during the storms. At the same time, vague and unhelpful messages from our insurance provider added unnecessary frustration. Read more about that in my article "Navigating the Storm: Lessons in Crisis Communication from Hurricanes Helene and Milton." These contrasting experiences deepened my curiosity about how communication strategies are evolving in emergencies, particularly as new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly being integrated into disaster response.

One groundbreaking example during the recent wildfires is the use of Tesla Cybertrucks outfitted with Starlink dishes as mobile internet hubs. By providing free satellite Wi-Fi to areas with no connectivity, these hubs ensured residents and responders stayed connected even amidst cellular outages. This, along with the use of AI by the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA, December 2024) for early fire detection, showcases how technology is revolutionizing disaster management.

When Communication Failed

1. Misleading Evacuation Alerts

The Kenneth Fire Confusion During the Kenneth Fire, an evacuation alert meant for a specific area in Los Angeles County was mistakenly broadcast to the entire county. This misstep caused panic, overwhelmed evacuation routes, and eroded trust in the alert system.

What We Can Learn

• Precision Matters: Alerts must be carefully targeted to prevent confusion and ensure those in immediate danger receive accurate information.
• Room for Improvement: Following this incident, emergency agencies implemented refined geotargeting protocols to minimize such errors in the future.

2. Inadequate Emergency Response

A Family's Loss in Altadena Anthony Mitchell and his son Justin tragically lost their lives in the Eaton Fire, likely due to delayed or unclear evacuation messages. Yet neighboring areas with better notification systems saw successful, timely evacuations, highlighting the disparity in emergency communication effectiveness.

What We Can Learn

• Timeliness Saves Lives: Every second counts in emergencies, and accurate, real-time communication is essential to prevent tragedies.

3. Infrastructure Failures

Dry Fire Hydrants in Pacific Palisades When fire hydrants ran dry during the wildfires, firefighting efforts were severely hindered. However, some neighborhoods used grassroots communication networks to direct resources and share critical updates, partially mitigating the impact of these failures.

What We Can Learn

• Preparation is Key: Infrastructure maintenance and community-driven communication efforts can make a significant difference in emergencies.

When Communication Worked

1. AI-Driven Early Detection in Orange County

One of the most remarkable successes during the wildfires was the use of AI technology by the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA, December 2024). For the first time, an AI-driven camera alerted authorities to a vegetation fire in Black Star Canyon without receiving a 911 call from the public. The AI camera, part of the University of California San Diego’s ALERTCalifornia network, detected an anomaly in video footage from a remote area at 2 a.m. on December 4. Firefighters responded swiftly, containing the blaze to less than a quarter of an acre, with no injuries, evacuations, or property damage.

What We Can Learn

• Technology-as-a-Lifeline: AI detection systems can identify fires in remote or unmonitored areas, enabling faster response times and potentially saving lives and property.
• A Glimpse of the Future: The success of this system demonstrates how emerging technology when combined with human expertise, can revolutionize disaster management.

2. Effective Use of Reverse 911 Systems

In counties across Southern California, Reverse 911 systems played a critical role in delivering targeted evacuation orders and safety information. These systems ensured residents received timely updates via multiple communication channels, including phone calls, text messages, and mobile app notifications.

What We Can Learn

• Redundancy is Essential: Using multiple channels ensures critical messages reach as many people as possible, even if one system fails.

3. Community-Driven Alerts

Local communities took the initiative to use social media platforms, messaging apps, and grassroots networks to share real-time updates and provide support. In many cases, these efforts filled gaps left by overwhelmed official systems.

What We Can Learn

• Empowering Communities: Strengthening local networks can enhance resilience and ensure critical information reaches even the most vulnerable populations.

4. Mobile Satellite Internet Hubs

• Keeping People Connected: Tesla Cybertrucks equipped with Starlink dishes provided free satellite Wi-Fi to areas experiencing cellular outages. This ensured residents and emergency responders could communicate, access updates, and coordinate efforts effectively.
• What We Can Learn: Redundant and innovative communication infrastructure, like mobile satellite internet, can sustain connectivity even in the harshest conditions.

Moving Forward: Combining Lessons from Failures and Successes

1. Investing in Technology: Expand AI-based detection systems to cover more high-risk areas. Regularly test and maintain systems like Reverse 911 to ensure reliability.
2. Empathetic Communication: Provide clear, actionable, and empathetic updates to guide and reassure the public during crises. Acknowledge errors promptly and communicate how they are being addressed.
3. Community Engagement: Offer training and resources to help residents understand and utilize emergency communication tools. Support grassroots networks that can disseminate information quickly in localized areas.
4. Inclusive Planning: Develop specialized communication strategies for vulnerable populations, ensuring accessibility and timely support.

Why This Matters to Me

Experiencing the recent hurricanes with my family gave me a firsthand understanding of how communication can either empower or overwhelm people in times of crisis. Duke Energy Corporation 's updates were a masterclass in empathetic, effective communication, while my insurance provider's vague messages left us anxious and frustrated. These contrasting experiences led me to explore how communication strategies during the wildfires—like the groundbreaking use of AI detection—can serve as a model for future disaster response.

By learning from the past's successes and failures, we can build a future in which communication systems are as resilient as the communities they serve.

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