UPCOMING

Saturday, December 10, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM - Household Hazardous & Electronic Waste Collection - 23519 W. Civic Center Way (rear parking lot, behind the Malibu Library)

Sunday, December 11, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM - Santa Paws: A Holiday Celebration for Humans and Their Dogs - Malibu Bluffs Park

Monday, December 12, 6:30 PM - City Council Regular Meeting - virtual 

Monday, December 19, 6:30 PM - Planning Commission Regular Meeting - virtual

Tuesday, December 20, 8:30 AM - Las Virgenes-Malibu Council of Governments (COG) Governing Board Meeting - virtual 

Tuesday, December 20, 2:00 PM - Homelessness Task Force Regular Meeting - virtual 

Tuesday, December 20, 5:30 PM - Parks and Recreation Commission Regular Meeting - virtual 

WILDFIRE SEASON 

(NEW) FIRE CONDITIONS UPDATE

Live Fuel Moisture (LFM) and Conditions - LFM is up to 74% as of December 1, a significant improvement from 56% on October 27. 

LFM can be as high as 200%, while 60% and below is considered critical for hazardous fire conditions. As part of continuous wildfire preparedness, the City tracks LFM as well as relative humidity, temperature, and dead fuel moisture to determine fire conditions for Malibu. The LFM is the percentage of water content to dry matter in live vegetation. The Los Angeles County Fire Department Forestry Division conducts sampling of chamise (Adenostoma Fasciculatum), a primary chaparral plant species, approximately every two weeks and posts the results on their website. 

Large wildfires can still occur with LFM levels of 60% - 80%. Above 80%, wildfires are unlikely to grow large and spread quickly as long-range spotting is greatly diminished due to fuel beds being greener and containing more moisture that must to be vaporized before the fuels will ignite. No rain is expected in the coming week, but humidity is forecast to remain fairly high, between 60% and 80% on average. Large wildfires that threaten lives and properties are still possible, and hazardous fire conditions and strong Santa Ana winds have occurred well into January, but the conditions are trending in a good direction. The National Weather Service LA/Oxnard forecasts potential rain across Los Angeles County Saturday morning through Monday evening. See detailed weather information. 

(NEW) MORE BEACON BOXES INSTALLED TO ASSIST OUT-OF-AREA FIREFIGHTERS 

The City continues to install "Beacon Boxes," which include maps and thumb drives with locations of fire hydrants, swimming pools and other valuable local information, at strategic locations throughout the City in order to assist out-pf-area firefighters responding in Malibu. This week the Fire Safety Liaisons and Public Works staff installed the second batch of 10 boxes at locations from Corral Canyon to Paradise Cove. After the 2018 Woolsey Fire, the City contracted with Flame Mapper to purchase 47 Beacon Boxes.    

MAKE YOUR WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS A YEAR-ROUND EFFORT 

Residents are advised to continue preparing for wildfires, and make it a year-round effort. Closely monitor local fire weather conditions and warnings on the National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard website whenever hazardous wildfires conditions are forecast. Create or review your family or business emergency plan, including evacuation routes and reunification locations, and gather emergency supplies. Check the expiration dates on food and medication. When Red Flag fire conditions are forecast, keep your vehicle fuel tank filled. Make sure you are able to open electric gates or garage doors when the power is out. For preparedness guidance, get the Malibu Survival Guide. Most importantly, make sure flammable materials and vegetation are cleared away from your home. Schedule a free Home Wildfire Hardening Assessment by emailing [email protected] , calling 310-456-2489, ext. 388 or visiting the Fire Safety webpage. 

SCHEDULE YOUR FREE HOME WILDFIRE HARDENING ASSESSMENT 

Now is a great time for Malibu homeowners to schedule a free home wildfire hardening assessment with the City’s Fire Safety Liaisons to learn how to protect your home from the millions of burning embers that can fly up to two miles out ahead of a wind-driven wildfire. Flying embers are a leading cause of homes burning down during wildfires. The 30-60 minute inspections follow the Fire Code and nationally recognized best practices. You can learn simple and often inexpensive steps, such as maintaining good brush clearance, keeping dead vegetation and flammable materials such as wood furniture away from the house, and covering up eave vents with metal mesh. Schedule an appointment by emailing [email protected]  or calling 310-456-2489, ext. 388 or visiting the Fire Safety webpage. 

PUBLIC SAFETY

(NEW) COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE 2023 GREAT LOS ANGELES HOMELESS COUNT 

Community members can register now to volunteer for the Los Angeles Homeless Authority's (LAHSA) 2023 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count taking place in Malibu on Wednesday, January 25, 2023. Every year, thousands of volunteers help conduct the Homeless Count, an annual census of people experiencing homelessness across Los Angeles County to inform homelessness policy decisions and better direct resources to be able to address the homelessness crisis. Learn more and sign up to volunteer on the LAHSA website. For further questions, contact Public Safety Liaison Luis Flores at 310-456-2489, ext. 236 or [email protected] 

(NEW) ONGOING STAFF TRAINING ON EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER AND DISASTER NOTIFICATION SYSTEM DURING WILDFIRE SEASON

The City has continued to ensure staff readiness during peak wildfire season by setting up the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during nights and weekends when the National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings. In addition to enabling the EOC operations to start immediately, it also trains the staff to be ready to activate and operate the EOC during a wildfire or other disaster. Additionally, the Public Safety Department has been conducting trainings to ensure staff is ready to use to use the City's Everbridge Disaster Notifications System in case of a disaster requiring evacuations. To sign up for the City’s Disaster Notification System, visit the web portal. To sign up for lower-level emergency, traffic, weather and utility alerts by text and email, visit the Alerts webpage and scroll down to "Alert Center."  

RESIDENTS ENCOURAGED TO INSTALL "KNOX BOXES" TO GIVE SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES EMERGENCY ACCESS TO GATED PROPERTIES 

Community members are encouraged to install a "KnoxBox" emergency key system to enable Sheriff’s Deputies to access unstaffed gates to residential properties to ensure rapid law enforcement access in case of emergencies. In order to effectively and efficiently respond to emergency calls, Deputies need to be able to access all residential and commercial properties, including gated communities. The KnoxBox system is separate from the system used by the LA County Fire Department. A Knox Master Key is given exclusively to Deputies. Community members can buy a KnoxBox online. Once the purchase is made, the Malibu-Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station is notified, and a Deputy will help verify access following its installation by a locksmith. For more information, contact Public Safety Liaison Luis Flores at 310-456-2489, ext. 236 or [email protected] 

HOLIDAY SAFETY TIPS

Christmas Trees - As we head into the holidays, our Public Safety Team has some safety tips for the community. A Christmas tree can go from a delightful household holiday symbol to a potential starting point of a dangerous house fire as it becomes dry and flammable, so don't wait too long to dispose of your holiday tree. The City offers free Christmas trees recycling December 27 through January 10, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM (closed December 30 - January 2) at the Chili Cookoff lot at 23575 Civic Center Way. For curbside collection, remove all metal stands and decorations, and cut up the tree so that it fits into the yard waste bin. Check and refill the tree's water pan regularly. Keep holiday trees at least three feet away from any heat source. Make sure lighting cords are not worn out, check for broken bulbs, and do not overload electric outlets. See more holiday safety tips from the LA County Fire Department. 

Decorative Candles - Decorative candles are the source of numerous house fires every year. Keep candles safely away from any flammable materials, and do not leave them burning unattended. 

Fireplaces - Always ensure that the chimney flue is open while using the fireplace to prevent smoke and carbon monoxide from flooding the house. Before starting a wood fire in your fireplace, make sure it is approved for wood burning. Have your chimney inspected annually and cleaned if necessary. 

Celebrate Responsibly to Help Keep Our Roads Safe - Celebrate responsibly during the holidays by having a designated driver, or using taxis or rideshares. 

BUILDING SAFETY 

(NEW) 2023 BUILDING CODES GO INTO EFFECT JANUARY 1. VIDEO AVAILABLE OF CODE UPDATE WORKSHOP 

The new 2023 Los Angeles County Building Codes go into effect Sunday, January 1. The City’s Permit Technicians will be reviewing online submittals on Tuesday, January 3 to determine which code cycle will apply to project submittals. For a project to be reviewed under the 2020 County of Los Angeles Codes, all required documents must have been provided by the deadline on Saturday, December 31 at midnight (submittals and payments are time stamped). All projects submitted on or after January 1, or those that are incomplete by the deadline, will be reviewed under the 2023 codes. Applicants are urged not to wait and to request their Building Safety plan review and permits now. Building Safety submittal requirements are listed on the webpage. Watch video of the December 1 Code Update Workshop.

Click here for More Information About City Of Malibu News : City Manager Updates - December 9, 2022