CITY MANAGER UPDATES - FEBRUARY 3, 2023

UPCOMING

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

- Monday, February 13, 6:30 PM - Regular City Council Meeting - virtual 

- Wednesday, February 15, 7:00 PM - Organics Recycling Training and Kitchen Caddy Giveaway - virtual 

- Saturday, February 18, 10:00 AM - Household Hazardous and Electronic Waste Collection - City Hall upper parking lot

WILDFIRE SAFETY

(NEW) FIRE CONDITIONS UPDATE
Live Fuel Moisture (LFM) and Conditions - LFM is up to 125% as of December 31, above the historic average for this time of year. This is only an estimate as Los Angeles County Fire Department cannot take accurate readings immediately after heavy rain. Although a fire could start, it will not rapidly spread and grow large through spotting as live plants and dead fuels are moist, and new green grass has grown. A good example of this was the brush fire that started at Tuna Canyon on January 21, and did not spread despite very windy 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 Los Angeles County Fire Department Forestry Division normally conducts sampling of chamise (Adenostoma Fasciculatum), a primary chaparral plant species, approximately every two weeks and posts the results on their website. 

(NEW) CITY COUNCIL ENDS DECLARATION OF LOCAL EMERGENCY IN RESPONSE TO IMPROVED WILDFIRE CONDITIONS

The City Council voted to end the state of local emergency, which was declared in response to the risk of fires associated with homeless encampments in September 2022. The local emergency declaration was made at the beginning of peak fire season after Malibu had experienced more than 20 brush fires attributed to encampments since the beginning of 2021. A major factor in declaring the local emergency was the Live Fuel Moisture (LFM) levels in the Santa Monica Mountains, a key wildfire condition indicator, reaching the critical level of 60% set by the Los Angeles County Fire Department. California Government Code Section 8630 empowered the City Council to proclaim the existence of a local emergency. That allowed the City, in coordination with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) and Sheriff’s Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST), to have more authority to remove homeless encampments to address the threat to lives and properties posed by the potential of fires starting in encampments. Under California law, emergency declarations must be terminated when the emergency conditions have ended. The rain events at the end of 2022 improved the LFM levels and the fire hazard conditions in the Santa Monica Mountain sufficiently to require lifting the local emergency.

(NEW) SIGN UP FOR FIRE HAZARD TREE REMOVAL PROGRAM

The Fire Safety Liaisons are still adding names to the list to remove trees under the City’s Hazard Tree Removal Program. The trees must be dead to be considered for this program. To sign up for this program, please email [email protected] with your name, address and phone number and the type and number of dead trees on your property. This is a first-come, first-served program and there are currently dozens of properties already on the list. 

MAKE YOUR WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS A YEAR-ROUND EFFORT 

While the recent rainstorms have offered much-needed relief from concerns about wildfire, residents are still advised to continue preparing for wildfires, and to 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. 

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