The only California county that sent a warning to residents’ cellphones has no reported fatalities

 A firefighter carries a bundle of radios Friday morning at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in California.
 (Stuart Palley/For The Washington Post)

Lake County, the sole California county to effectively send out emergency cellular alerts to its residents, had zero fatalities from wildfire. While some counties attempted reverse 911 calls, in-person communication, and other forms of public alerts, there was no consistent emergency alert system effectively and uniformly implemented across other larger counties. Many residents cited this poor communication and subsequent lack of emergency preparedness as a major issue that affected how quickly they were able to safely evacuate.