MALIBU—On Wednesday, July 21, the city of Malibu initiated a grant-funded tree removal and chipper program to help residents in the community prepare for wildfires.
The tree removal and chipper program are funded by a $324,000 Wildfire Resiliency grant the city received from the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. The grant will help regulate potential fire hazards and will monitor fuel loading in Malibu. Both services will help homeowners maintain brush clearance which is required by the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Homeowners can decrease the risk of fire during peak fire season which is when the Santa Ana winds commence.
Residents can sign up to have dead and dying trees removed later this summer. A licensed arborist will work with Public Safety personnel and homeowners to assess and identify trees that are fire hazards and will schedule a date for removal.
The city will hold Community Chipper and Green Waste Days in September to allow residents to dispose of fire-hazardous greenery which include dead foliage from brush clearance. This was initially required to be complete by June 1. Sign-ups, services, and schedules will be posted at www.MalibuCity.org/FireSafety as soon as the information is available.
“Brush clearance and removing hazard trees are important ways to create defensible space to make your home more fire-resistant, help firefighters stay safe while defending your home, and protect the whole community from wildfires,” said Mayor Paul Grisanti. He continued, “Here in Malibu, the next big wildfire is just around the corner, not just in peak wildfire season. So, it’s up to us all as individuals and as a community to do everything possible to be ready.”
For more details, call Fire Safety Liaison Chris Brossard at 310-456-2489, ext. 387 or email FireSafety@MalibuCity.org. To learn more about the city’s wildfire preparedness efforts at www.MalibuCity.org/FireSafety.
