MALIBU—The City’s Public Safety Town Hall meeting on fire season preparedness will take place on Wednesday, July 19, at 7 p.m. at Malibu City Hall, according to a press release from the city on Tuesday, July 11. The meeting, originally scheduled for June 29, was cancelled due to the Stokes Fire in Calabasas and the Topanga Fire in Topanga Canyon breaking out the same day. The majority of the two fires were contained by Monday, July 3, after burning several acres.
Residents will receive information about the upcoming fire season and learn what steps they can take to prepare their families, pets and large animals, and properties. The meeting will offer information on what to expect during evacuations and what the city’s preparations involve. Questions will be answered on when and how residents will be allowed to return to their properties and how officials will keep neighborhoods secure doing evacuations. Residents will also learn how to ensure their properties have proper brush clearance, to give firefighters “defensible spaces.”
“Wildfires are a real threat to people and property in Malibu,” said Mayor Skylar Peak. “When the two fires broke out, it was a powerful reminder of how important it is to be prepared in order to ensure the public safety of the Malibu community.”
The heavy rainfall this past winter is believed to have led to the steady growth of vegetation in the mountains and natural areas in and near Malibu. As the vegetation dries out throughout the summer, the amount of potential fuel for wildfires rises.
The meeting will feature speakers from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control, and American Red Cross. Malibu’s Public Safety Manager, Susan Dueñas, will also be present. The fire department will discuss what to expect from the fire season, based on the winter’s record-setting rain and vegetation growth. Residents will learn how to make or update their emergency preparedness plans, which should include preparing bags in advance with clothing, cash, medications, and essentials.
The fire season preparedness meeting is the first of a series of regular town hall meetings, during which public safety issues will be discussed. Future meeting topics may include earthquakes, storms, flooding, and terrorist incidents.
The meeting will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall. All residents are welcome to attend, and no RSVPs are required. For more information, contact Public Safety Manager Susan Dueñas at (310) 456-2489 ext. 313 or SDuenas@malibucity.org. For additional details, visit the meeting details here.
