Sections of the Palisades Also Remain Closed to the Public Following the Fire

By SARAH SHMERLING and LILY TINOCO

Pacific Coast Highway was closed from Chautauqua Boulevard in Pacific Palisades to Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu in response to and ahead of storm systems in the area.

The highway reopened one lane in each direction at reduced speeds to the public on February 3 for the first time since the Palisades fire started on January 7 before closing again on February 4 at 3 p.m. ahead of storms in the area that week.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the highway must be closed due to soft soils on both the hill and ocean sides of the road,” Caltrans wrote in a statement. “Mud and debris flows may occur and canyons may overtop, blocking the road or causing further damage.”

Assessments of the road and the potential to reopen were made on Friday, February 7, by Caltrans and Los Angeles County Public Works Department when it was determined that PCH would remain closed “until further notice for safety.”

“Debris flows occurred during this week’s storms, including a significant slide north of Big Rock Drive,” Caltrans reported February 7. “A geotechnical assessment observed slippage along the hill below Porto Marina Way. Slides may also occur in between storms, after the soil has been softened. Additionally, the National Weather Service has predicted moderate risk of heavy rain for February 12 through 14. LACPW’s debris basins are 80% full and must be cleared in advance of next week’s storms.”

Due to the rain, from Thursday, February 13, at 7 a.m. to Friday, February 14 at 2 p.m., the Palisades area will be limited to residents only, according to an emailed statement from Mayor Karen Bass: “Contractors with passes will not be allowed entry, and contractor access passes will not be distributed on Thursday of Friday.

Otherwise, throughout the closures, essential workers—including first responders, recovery agencies and utility companies—have been able to access PCH, with Palisades residents able to access their properties via Chautauqua Boulevard with access passes.

“The following work will be taking place along PCH during the closure: Contractors must place steel plates to protect the slope along Porto Marina Way,” according to Caltrans. “LACPW is hauling out debris. Emergency workers continue clearing debris from the highway. Placement of k-rail at key locations.”

The Palisades fire was declared fully contained on Friday, January 31, and damage inspection teams have completed inspections for all structures within the fire footprint, according to the CAL FIRE website.

The fire started on January 7 at 10:30 a.m. in the Highlands. It is now reported to have burned 23,707 acres.

A total of 6,831 residential and commercial structures have been destroyed as a result of the fire, and an additional 973 have been damaged, according to CAL FIRE.

The Palisades fire prompted evacuation orders the Palisades. Remaining evacuation orders were adjusted on Monday, January 27, so that all residents were able to return to the area.

After community members and stakeholders across the Palisades pushed back against a plan to reopen the area and PCH to the general public on Sunday morning, February 2, at 8 a.m., Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass announced that the plan was amended and PCH’s reopening was delayed one day.

Bass and other city officials first reported during a virtual town hall on Friday, January 31, that the Palisades and PCH would reopen to the general public following the Palisades fire—though “local traffic only” was still encouraged.

Following the meeting, the California National Guard was going to begin winding down its operations over the next 72 hours, being replaced by a “true surge” of six Los Angeles Police Department. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said the department was working to balance the needs of the Palisades with the rest of the city, as they have been in “citywide tactical alert” since the start of Palisades fire on January 7—meaning calls are being answered in the Palisades, but routine calls are not being responded to in other parts of the city. With the departure of the National Guard and its support at places like checkpoints, LAPD was reassessing where to place its resources.

Newsom reported on Saturday, February 1, that additional state law enforcement resources would be deployed to Los Angeles to maintain checkpoints and keep the Palisades closed to non-residents. He also directed the National Guard to remain on standby for rapid deployment—“if conditions require.”

Editor’s note: This story was updated a Thursday, February 13, at 10:15 a.m. with information regarding contractor access on February 13 and 14. 

By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor

Pacific Palisades Community Council hosted a virtual meeting with Councilmember Traci Park on Friday, February 7, with a focus on issues pertaining to residents with homes that are still standing after the Palisades fire.

The meeting—which marked the third in PPCC’s series of special meetings—had over 1,000 attendees. Agency representatives and local officials were invited to provide answers to Palisadians, responding to a sequence of questions.

Assistant Deputy of Monitoring and Analysis at South Coast Air Quality Management District Andrea Polidori addressed air quality in the Palisades, noting that an air-monitoring campaign is currently in the works, pending weather conditions. The first phase of the campaign includes mobile monitoring of air toxins, using different mobile platforms that are capable of measuring toxic metals, such as lead and arsenic.

“The idea is to drive around the repopulation and … measure the concentration of these pollutants in real time,” Polidori explained.

The mobile monitoring will be in place for approximately four weeks, and will help the team determine ideal locations for two to three stationary monitoring sites that will continue to monitor the concentration of different pollutants in the Palisades.

Park addressed clusters of homes that are still standing in the Palisades, but are in close proximity to fire damaged properties—residents had questions about how safe it is to return to their home if it is surrounded by rubble and debris, and how long they may expect to be away from their home.

Colonel Eric Swenson of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is leading the charge for Phase 2 of debris removal, said the answer is dependent on the residents’ “personal acceptance of risk in [their] neighborhood.”

“If you’re in a situation where you are in a neighborhood, your home is still standing, but you want more clarity about how long it’s going to be until the lots around you are cleared, I would say stay in touch with your other neighbors who live on that street … and work with them,” Park said. “My recommendation to everybody is to sign up for the government program … Help Colonel Swenson spot clusters of complete communities that are demonstrating an interest to get back in … and then you can use their timelines, hopefully, to make some decisions for yourself based on your own personal risk factors and preferences.”

Park then went on to explain that a number of apartment buildings, condos and townhouses in the Palisades are still standing, but residents want to know who is responsible for cleaning and remediating individual units and common areas.

Director of Code Enforcement for the LA Housing Department Robert Galardi said the department is inspecting and following up on complaints for all multi-family rental properties in the city, but to answer residents’ questions: Renters are responsible for their unit’s interior, while landlords and property owners are responsible for common areas and the exterior of the property.

For individuals handling fire-damaged furniture or items, Alex Helou with LA Sanitation advised wrapping furniture in plastic-wrap, calling LA Sanitation—at 1-800-773-2489—and placing it on the curb for it to be picked up free of charge.

On the topic of utilities, Park said Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has been on the ground and making “steady progress” with power in the Palisades. However, Park explained that water is taking more time because of state-mandated testing that has to be completed every 72 hours.

Jonathan Leung with LADWP said there is a system of flushing and testing that needs to be done, which could take weeks, as samples need to be inspected and arising issues need to be addressed.

“I hope you all understand the logic in how we’re trying to progress,” Leung said. “To get all the initial testing done will take about four weeks … We have had a few low-level detections, we’re working with the state regulator on how to address those. We’re hoping those can be addressed at a very localized level that won’t create extensive delays.”

Park concluded the meeting by letting attendees know they are welcome to reach out to her and her team directly with any concerns.

“We’re always happy to help,” she said.

To watch the February 7 special meeting, visit youtube.com/watch?v=WJpafqDSZP8, also available via PPCC’s website: pacpalicc.org.