Malibu To Hold Fire Preparedness Townhall

MALIBU, CA — As the summer fire season is starting, the city of Malibu is holding a town hall meeting to let residents know what to expect and how the city is preparing for it.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 29 at City Hall. The meeting will also cover what residents need to prepare in case of an evacuation. The meeting will feature speakers from the L.A. County Fire Department, L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, American Red Cross, L.A. County Animal Services Department, as well as Malibu’s Public Safety Manager Susan Dueñas.

The record-setting rainfall this past winter has caused a heavy growth of vegetation in the mountains and wild areas in and around Malibu. As summer progresses and the vegetation dries out, it can create large amounts of potential fuel for wildfires, officials said.

“Wildfires are a real threat to people and property in Malibu,” said Mayor Skylar Peak. “Preparation for wildfires is critical to the public safety of the Malibu community.”

Information will be given on how residents can ensure that their properties have proper brush clearance to give firefighters “defensible spaces.”

The meeting will be the first of a series of regularly scheduled town hall meetings to discuss public safety related issues.

Photo courtesy of the LASD