City of Malibu Marks Annual Day of Preparedness and the Five-Year Anniversary of the Devastating Woolsey Fire with a Public Safety Department Open House for Community Members
Five years ago on November 9, 2018, the Woolsey Fire tore a path of destruction through Malibu’s natural beauty, destroying nearly 500 homes, burning almost 100,000 acres and claiming the lives of three people. The worst disaster in the City’s history and the largest wildfire in Los Angeles County history left the entire community traumatized and hundreds struggling to recover and rebuild.
On November 9, 2023, the five-year anniversary of the Woolsey Fire, the City of Malibu renews its pledge to never stop working to help the community rebuild and recover. On September 9, 2019, after the Woolsey Fire, the City proclaimed November 9 as the Annual Day of Preparedness to cement its commitment to help the community to be better prepared and more resilient for wildfires.
This year, on Thursday, November 9, the City will host an Open House in the Public Safety Department’s office in City Hall from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM to help the community get prepared for wildfires.
“Malibu will never forget the Woolsey Fire and the scars it left behind in the lives of too many of our Malibu friends and neighbors,” said Mayor Steve Uhring. “Woolsey is also a reminder of the fragile environment we live in, how quickly it can turn dangerous and why it is imperative that we take the necessary steps to be prepared. To that end, I encourage everyone in Malibu to join us at City Hall to learn how you can be part of our effort toward community-wide preparedness.”
Public Safety Open House
Community members are invited to come by any time during the Open House hours. Meet the Public Safety staff, learn about the City’s wildfire preparedness and resiliency efforts, receive a free NOAA weather radio, and pick up a free print copy of the Malibu Survival Guide.
Visitors can learn about their Evacuation Zone and the County’s new Genasys evacuation zones, maps and website, hear updates on this year’s fire season conditions, schedule a home wildfire assessment, and see the City’s new Beacon Boxes that are installed across the City with maps and local information to assist out-of-area firefighters responding to fires in Malibu. Meet representatives from the LA County Fire Department, learn about volunteer opportunities from the Sheriff’s Volunteers on Patrol (VOPs) and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and enjoy snacks and refreshments.
10 Steps You Can Take Right Now to Be More Prepared for Wildfires
Every year on November 9, the City asks every homeowner, resident, business, employee, student, school and organization in Malibu to take at least one step towards being more prepared for wildfires. Here are 10 steps that you can take, any one of which can improve wildfire preparedness.
- Make a wildfire emergency plan including evacuation routes, reunification locations and emergency contact numbers.
- Gather emergency supplies, including food, water, first aid kit, prescription medication, cash, clothes, important documents, lights, an emergency radio, and pet supplies.
- Make an emergency plan for pets, horses, and large animals, including copies of vaccinations and registration, microchipping, carriers or horse trailers, and locations of out-of-area large animal shelters, and out-of-area hotels that allow pets.
- Check in on elderly or disabled neighbors, friends and family to ensure that they have emergency plans and supplies and include checking in on them in your own emergency plan.
- Sign up for emergency alerts from the City of Malibu at www.MalibuCity.org/news (scroll to Alert Center) and from Los Angeles County (which includes alerts from the Sheriff’s and Fire Departments) at https://lacounty.gov/emergency/alert-la. Visit www.MalibuCity.org/DisasterNotifications, create a profile, and add your home or business street address to improve the City’s ability to send out targeted evacuation notifications.
- Harden your home against flying embers. Make sure all flammable materials such as dry wood, dead or dry vegetation, wood mulch, and wood furniture are not touching the house. Cover attic vents and rain gutters with fine steel mesh. Schedule an appointment with the City’s Fire Safety Liaisons for a free home wildfire assessment at www.MalibuCity.org/FireSafety or by email at FireSafety@MalibuCity.org.
- Create defensible space around your home by performing brush clearance, tree trimming, and removing dead leaves from the roof to protect it from burning material and to give firefighters space to do their work safely. Learn more at https://www.fire.ca.gov/media/8651/defensiblespaceflyer.pdf.
- Get the free emergency survival guides from the City of Malibu at www.MalibuCity.org/SurvivalGuide or Los Angeles County at https://lacounty.gov/emergency/emergency-survival-guide.
- Sign up for a crisis first aid, CPR or Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. The American Red Cross offers several kinds of online trainings at https://www.redcross.org/local/california/take-a-class/cpr-los-angeles-ca. The City also offers CERT and first aid trainings several times each year, with online offerings during the pandemic. All upcoming classes will be posted on the website.
- Maintain situational awareness by monitoring fire weather conditions, forecasts and hazards on local news and on the National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard website at https://www.weather.gov/lox.
Woolsey Fire Rebuild Update
The City continues to offer resources and assistance to homeowners working on their Woolsey Fire rebuild projects. On September 25, the City Council adopted a resolution extending the deadlines by three years to apply for the Woolsey Fire Rebuild Fee Waiver Program. The Council approved extending the fee waivers for the last four years, totaling $5,353,046 million to date in support for those working to rebuild.
The City’s Environmental Sustainability Director / Building Official, Yolanda Bundy, who leads the City’s rebuild efforts, provided an update on the progress of the Woolsey Fire rebuild effort. As of October 25, 273 building permits to begin rebuilding single-family homes destroyed in the fire have been issued, and a total of 358 have been approved by the Planning Department. To date, 144 single-family home rebuilds have been completed, and 12 multifamily units have been completed.
Ms. Bundy continues to personally assist homeowners along every step of their rebuild process. Anyone who needs help moving their project forward, or needs advice or resources, is urged to schedule an appointment for one-on-one help with the Rebuild Team. To schedule an appointment, visit www.MalibuCity.org/Appointments or call 310-456-2489 or email ashah@malibucity.org. Many rebuild resources, handouts and other information are available on the Rebuild webpage at www.MalibuCity.org/Rebuild.