Malibu fire update

Residents, businesses, employees, students, schools, and organizations are encouraged to observe the exercise, which is based on a scenario of a major wildfire burning through eastern Malibu.

The exercise is an excellent opportunity to learn about the decision processes, timeline, and roles of the responding agencies during a large-scale evacuation. As Southern California heads into peak fire season, the City is working to prepare and help community members be prepared to prevent wildfires and be ready to respond to the next big wildfire that may come.

The City Manager and Public Safety Manager meet weekly with the Fire Department and Sheriff's Department to discuss current and forecasted fire conditions, community concerns, and deployment levels in response to wildfire threat factors, such as hot, dry, windy weather, fuel moisture levels, and Santa Ana winds.

The Fire Safety Liaison also monitors current fire conditions in Malibu, including weather and fuel moisture levels, and reports them weekly to the City Manager and Public Safety Manager. The City's Fire Safety Liaison is available to visit your home to assess the property's wildfire risk, and provide a checklist of ways that you can harden your homes against flying embers, which are a main cause of homes catching fire during a wildfire. To schedule an appointment, email FireSafety malibucity.

Residents should review their family emergency and evacuation plans, and check their "go bags" and emergency supplies to ensure that food, water, medication, and batteries have not expired. If you do not have an emergency plan or supply kits, learn how to get started by downloading the City's free Emergency Survival Guide.

Along with firefighters on the ground, there was assistance from the air with four water-dropping helicopters and fixed-wing air tankers that could drop fire retardant from above.

Officials said the area was prime for fire conditions through the weekend with dry, hot temperatures on the forecast. Sunday is forecast to be the hottest day. The area is still recovering from a massive 97,acre blaze last November from the Woolsey fire, the largest to ever hit the Santa Monica Mountains recreation area. That fire resulted in three deaths and more than 1, structures that got destroyed. Newsweek magazine delivered to your door Unlimited access to Newsweek. Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions.

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