By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

The city of Los Angeles has issued evacuation warnings for several areas and limited, address-specific evacuation orders due to forecasted high rains, according to Los Angeles Fire Department Spokesperson Margaret Stewart.

The warnings and orders will go into effect from Wednesday, March 12, at 7 a.m. to Thursday, March 13, at 6 p.m., due to the storms, which “have the potential to trigger mudslides and debris flows.”

“The warnings and orders are in recent burn areas, which are especially susceptible to heavy rain,” Stewart wrote.

Within the Palisades fire area, this includes Getty Villa area, Highlands near the burn areas, Bienveneda area near Temescal Canyon Park, Rivas Canyon/Will Rogers State Park area, Mandeville Canyon above Tanners Road, Old Ranch Road and Rustic Creek.

“Homes in the warning area with high risk will be visited by LAPD today[March 11] to issue specific evacuation orders,” Stewart continued. “If you are not home, they will leave a flyer with important evacuation information.”

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

A portion of Pacific Coast Highway will close to residents in the burn scar areas beginning Wednesday, March 12, due to “safety threats from an incoming storm,” Caltrans announced on March 11.

“Caltrans, in consultation with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, local agencies and law enforcement, will be closing a segment of Pacific Coast Highway/State Route 1 to residents and businesses in burn scar areas due to safety concerns from the incoming storm beginning Wednesday, March 12 at 12 p.m.,” read the statement. “Only emergency vehicles and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ debris-hauling contractors will be allowed through the closure. Residents with homes in the burn scar area should consider alternate routes in the afternoon hours or consider teleworking if possible.”

The closure will be in effect from Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu to Chautauqua Boulevard in Pacific Palisades.

Caltrans reported that the road would be reassessed on Thursday, March 13, to see if the highway could reopen to residents and businesses with passes by Friday, March 14, at 6 a.m., if not earlier.

“This is dependent on the extent of the storm and resulting impacts of any debris flows,” Caltrans wrote. “The forecasted thunderstorms and rain of up to an inch per hour could result in heavy downpours that can cause debris basins to overflow, especially on Wednesday evening.”

Unified Utilities Rebuild Operations Center Opens at Palisades Recreation Center

By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor

Portions of Pacific Palisades have been cleared and notified that their water is now safe for drinking after the Palisades fire—with additional zones anticipated to be cleared as soon as this week, according to Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Director of Water Quality Division Jonathan Leung.

The cleared portions include zip code 90402 and portions of 90272: areas east of Temescal Canyon Road and south of Bestor Boulevard in the LADWP service area.

A “Do Not Drink, Do Not Boil” notification was issued on January 10 due to the potential of wildfire contaminants. LADWP announced on February 25 that these precautions were no longer necessary in some zones, “as stringent testing of the water quality confirms that all drinking water standards are being achieved for this area.”

“To protect against wildfire-related contaminants, [LADWP] implemented a comprehensive flushing and testing plan, which was approved by the State Water Resources Control Board—Division of Drinking Water,” according to LADWP. “In accordance with this plan, LADWP has been conducting thorough flushing, sampling and water quality testing of the water distribution system in the Palisades area.”

The SWRCB-DDW confirmed on February 24 that all standards for drinking water quality had been achieved. This means residents within these areas can use water for baby formula and juice, bathing, hand-washing, washing dishes, making ice, and food preparation.

Leung announced during a town hall on March 4 hosted by Mayor Karen Bass that additional samples “continue to point” in the “right directions,” with a “major announcement” that could be ready as soon as March 6 or 7 regarding water quality in the rest of the Palisades area.

The department has launched a map where residents can search a specific address to see if it falls within the LADWP No Not Drink, Do Not Boil notice area.

LADWP also announced the establishment of a Unified Utilities Rebuild Operations Center at Palisades Recreation Center, which opened on Saturday, March 1.

At the operations center, customers impacted by the Palisades fire have access to LADWP services to help them rebuild, turn on and off water and power services, and receive answers to questions. Other utility services provided by corporate and government partners are also slated to offer services at the center.

“LADWP crews have worked around the clock since the Palisades fire to restore power to the Palisades area,” LADWP Chief Executive Officer and Chief Engineer Janisse Quiñones said in a statement. “The opening of UUROC is the next phase in LADWP’s commitment to serve our customers in the rebuilding of the community. We want to be easily accessible to our customers who are already dealing with so much as they begin to rebuild their homes and businesses.”

The operations center is in the small gym at 851 Alma Real Drive. It is currently open Monday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, visit ladwp.com/palisades.

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Multiple agencies have partnered together so Palisades fire-impacted residents, businesses, and contractors and employees can acquire a unified access pass, which began March 3.

“Law enforcement is now using one unified pass,” according to Los Angeles Police Department Chief Dominic Choi during a town hall hosted by Mayor Karen Bass on Tuesday, March 4. The effort was a collaboration between Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, LAPD, City of Los Angeles and Supervisor Lindsey Horvath’s office, according to the City of Malibu.

Previously obtained passes (including red for residents with no expiration date and blue for contractors with valid dates) will still provide access to the area.

“As long as they’re valid passes—they’re not duplicates—they will be honored at the checkpoints,” Choi said. “There’s no need to go back and get the new unified pass.”

Each person going in and out of the area needs to obtain a pass that matches their identification, which will be checked at access points, Choi said.

Those operating the check points have seen an increase in fake/duplicate passes, Choi continued, citing that last Saturday, March 1, by 10 a.m., more than two dozen counterfeit or duplicate passes were encountered, which has been causing “significant backup” in lines to enter the area.

“I know it’s a little bit of inconvenience, but please make sure that the appropriate people are getting the valid passes from these pass distribution centers,” Choi said.

Access passes can now be picked up Monday to Saturday between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the Disaster Recovery Center at UCLA Research Park West (10850 West Pico Boulevard); Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at Santa Monica College – Malibu Campus Admin Building Interpretive Center (23555 Civic Center Way); and Saturdays at Malibu City Hall (23825 Stuart Ranch Road) between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

While conducting crime suppression efforts, California Highway Patrol was alerted to a home that had several cars parked outside on Saturday evening, February 22, Choi explained during the town hall. A resident of the Palisades was having a dinner party with 25-plus guests, Choi continued.

Those in attendance had “fake contractor passes” that were confiscated, Choi explained. The party was dispersed, he said, and everyone left peacefully.

During the Q&A portion of the town hall, a question was posed about the presence of National Guard in the area, to which Vahid Khorsand with the Board of Public Works responded: “There is no timeline for the National Guard to leave the Palisades at this time.”

Phase 2 Work Is Underway in Both Areas

By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it has completed Phase 1 of wildfire hazardous debris cleanup for the Eaton and Palisades fires.

Phase 1—Household Hazardous Waste Removal—was managed by EPA under executive orders and needed to be complete at parcels before beginning Phase 2 clearing of structural debris.

The first phase involved “assessing and safely removing hazardous materials,” including paints, cleaners, pesticides, fuel, propane tanks, batteries and more from impacted residential and commercial parcels.

“EPA crews identified and cleared hazardous materials from 13,612 residential properties and 305 commercial properties, paving the way for debris removal and other stages of the recovery effort to move forward,” according to EPA.

During a town hall hosted by Mayor Karen Bass on Tuesday, March 4, EPA representative Rusty Harris-Bishop explained that there were 6,981 residential parcels and 129 commercial parcels that needed to be inspected in the Palisades fire area. Of those, EPA was able to clear 4,349 residential parcels and 77 commercial parcels.

In the Palisades area, 2,632 residential parcels and 52 commercial parcels have been deferred to Phase 2, which means that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or private contractors will be responsible for the removal and safe disposal of the waste—depending on if residents opt in or out of the county-run program.

Parcels are deferred, according to Harris-Bishop, when EPA is unable to safely complete the work, due to things like unsafe chimneys, basements or walls. The EPA works with hand-tools, Harris-Bishop continued, while the Army Corps and private contractors have the tools needed to complete the removal process.

Phase 2 is the Comprehensive Debris Removal Program. Residents have two options for Phase 2: opting in to the county’s debris removal program, which is being led by the Army Corps and Colonel Eric Swenson, or opting out of the county-run program and hiring a private contractor. The deadline to opt in or out of the program is March 31.

The Army Corps has established a Debris Call Center to answer questions regarding Phase 2 of debris removal. The hotline phone number is 213-308-8305. Operators are available daily from 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

The deadline for homeowners, renters and businesses impacted by the wildfires to apply to receive FEMA assistance or a U.S. Small Business Administration low-interest disaster loan is Monday, March 10.

When it comes to FEMA, “two grants are available for up to $43,600 each: Other Needs Assistance [and] Housing Assistance,” according to information shared by Michael Peacock at a virtual town hall hosted by Mayor Karen Bass on Tuesday, March 4.

There is also rental assistance available, Peacock said, which “does not count against max grant award.”

The application can be completed online at disasterassistance.gov, on the FEMA app, by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 or in person at a Disaster Recovery Center.

The deadline to apply for an SBA low-interest disaster loan for those who have experienced physical damage is also March 10, reported Corey Williams with SBA.

“SBA provides low-interest loans to homeowners, renters and businesses in Los Angeles County who experienced property damage because of the fires,” according to information shared during the town hall.

For people in contiguous counties—including Kern, Orange, San Bernardino and Ventura—who have experienced “economic injury only,” the deadline is October 8, Peacock explained.

Applications can be made online at sba.gov/disaster, by calling SBA’s Customer Service Center hotline at 800-659-2955, by emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or in person at a Business Recovery Center.

There are also city and county relief funds available, which all have a deadline of March 12: LA Region Small Business Relief Fund; LA Region Worker Relief Fund; and LA County Household Relief Grants.