Public safety officials fear that residents might ignore future, accurate alerts if they become accustomed to false warnings.

My home is not in a mandatory evacuation zone, or even a warning zone. It is, or is supposed to be, safe. And yet, my family’s phones keep blaring with evacuation notices, as they move in and out of service.

The Los Angeles City Emergency Management Department said an emergency alert to phones warning residents of possible evacuations was sent to the entire county by mistake, adding evacuation orders have not changed.