L.A. agrees to mediation with Palisades Fire victimsFormal talks with survivors of the January 2025 fire are scheduled to begin in early October, but the state has not joined.Friday, August 28, 2026
Ben Allen fights utility liability caps in SacramentoMalibu's state senator warns Newsom's plan to limit wildfire lawsuit payouts by power companies will drive up insurance costs.Thursday, August 27, 2026
Sacramento may curb fire victims' right to sue utilitiesA bill being amended in the Assembly would limit lawsuits against power companies whose negligence sparks wildfires, as Edison faces up to $55 billion in Altadena claims.Tuesday, August 25, 2026
Fire experts warn: it's your neighbor's clutter, not the plantsTwo days after California's Zone Zero rules took effect, a regional fire safety panel says garbage cans and patio furniture pose bigger risks than vegetation.Friday, August 21, 2026
Zone Zero fire rules coming to Malibu in 3½ yearsNew state rules require Malibu property owners to clear vegetation within one foot of buildings, with tougher restrictions phased in by 2032.Thursday, August 20, 2026
Palisades Fire arson suspect set for November trialJonathan Rinderknecht's second trial is set for Nov. 2, after the federal case against him collapsed in June.Thursday, August 20, 2026
Malibu delegation demands FEMA release Encinal water pipeline grantSenators Schiff and Padilla and Rep. Brownley want to know why $4.9 million promised in December 2024 remains unspent.Wednesday, August 19, 20261 comment
State approves Zone Zero fire rules for hazardous places like MalibuNew rules give homeowners about 3-1/2 years to clear burnable material from within five feet of structures in very high fire hazard zones - like all of MalibuWednesday, August 19, 2026
Construction site burglaries surge in Pacific PalisadesResidents are barricading streets at night as thieves target copper wire and pipes; Malibu has not seen a similar spike yet.Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Feds try again to convict Palisades Fire suspect after mistrialJonathan Rinderknecht is set to be arraigned on a revised indictment after a jury deadlocked 10-2 to acquit him earlier this year.Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Buena Fire burns 2 acres above Point MuguVentura County crews stopped the fire's forward progress within an hour in the western Santa Monica Mountains.Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Senators seek ban on wildfire betting marketsPolymarket took $1.25 million in bets on California fires as Malibu, the Palisades and Altadena burned, the L.A. Times reports.Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Caruso reopens Palisades Village 19 months after fireDeveloper Rick Caruso cut the ribbon Saturday at the rebuilt Pacific Palisades shopping center, calling it one chapter in a long recovery.Monday, August 17, 20261 comment
Malibu declares fire emergency as brush dries outThe annual declaration lets deputies clear homeless encampments within minutes; live fuel moisture has dropped below the 65 percent threshold.Friday, August 14, 2026
Palisades Fire suspect faces second trial after mistrialFederal prosecutors have filed a revised indictment against Jonathan Rinderknecht after a jury deadlocked 10-2 in favor of acquittal.Friday, August 14, 2026
Four candidates qualify for Malibu City Council raceIncumbents Riggins and Stewart face challenges from a fire victim and a mystery candidate; two other would-be candidates were washed out.Friday, August 14, 2026
Palisades Village reopens Saturday after $100M rebuildRick Caruso's shopping center, saved from the January 2025 wildfires by private firefighters, cuts its ribbon at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow.Friday, August 14, 2026
DA weighs homicide charges against Edison over Eaton FireAfter L.A. County Fire blamed SCE for the 19 deaths in Altadena, criminal charges could threaten the utility's access to the state wildfire fund.Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Trump's history of feuding with the Coastal CommissionThe president has held up $40 billion in wildfire aid and moved to defund the Coastal Commission, which once ordered him to permit a flagpole.Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Seven more Malibu fire properties red-tagged as PCH erodesCaltrans is dumping rock to shore up PCH near Big Rock as 23 burned-out sites now threaten the highway and ocean.Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Malibu residents debate parks plan for three vacant city lotsAbout 40 residents told City Hall what they want built at Heathercliff, the Civic Center and Point Dume, as Malibu shapes its first parks master plan.Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Newsom pushes secret bills to shield utilities from wildfire costsThe governor is asking lawmakers to reduce how much Southern California Edison and other profit-making utilities must pay after wildfires.Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Caltrans installs more K-rails at Big Rock as coast erodesEmergency work targets a 20000-block stretch of PCH after hurricane waves washed behind seawalls that survived the fire.Saturday, August 8, 2026
Post-Palisades Fire study: ocean clean, but lead lingers in soilA USC-led consortium analyzed 6,000 soil samples and 900 seawater samples after the January 2025 fire.Saturday, August 8, 2026
L.A. County to pay $5.1 million in Trump tariffs on new FirehawkThe Sikorsky airframe is built in Poland, triggering an EU tariff on the county’s $43 million firefighting helicopter purchase.Saturday, August 8, 2026
Overnight Edison shutoffs anger Calabasas residents in heat waveSCE is installing plastic-covered overhead lines to reduce fire ignition risk, but 600 homes lost power during 100-degree days.Saturday, August 8, 2026
Malibu Public Safety Commission Delays Zone Zero RecommendationCommissioners want to see what the state Board of Forestry adopts before recommending fire-risk landscaping rules for Malibu.Thursday, August 6, 2026
Edison Threatens Stock Buyback Unless Legislature Shields UtilitiesSCE president Pedro Pizarro warns lawmakers that without wildfire liability protection, the company will redirect capital away from safety investments.Thursday, August 6, 20261 comment
L.A. Voters to Decide Palisades Exemption from Mansion TaxA November ballot measure would exempt fire-damaged Pacific Palisades homes from the city's tax on high-value real estate sales.Thursday, August 6, 2026
Study: PCH roundabouts would add just 7 seconds to evacuationMalibu's traffic engineers say the two proposed westside roundabouts would have minimal impact on a wildfire evacuation that could take up to 16 hours anyway.Wednesday, August 5, 20261 comment
Public safety commission to weigh Zone Zero plant banDirector Susan Duenas is asking the commission to consider banning all plants within 5 feet of inhabited structures, even after the state walked back its version.Wednesday, August 5, 2026
LA County: Edison caused Eaton Fire that killed 19An unused high-voltage line left in place for 50 years energized during Santa Ana winds and ignited the Altadena firestorm, county fire officials concluded.Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Malibu weighs adopting state's strictest original Zone Zero rulesPublic Safety Director Susan Duenas is asking the commission whether Malibu should ban combustible vegetation within five feet of homes.Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Southern California fire crews sent to battle Spokane wildfiresOfficials in Washington are comparing the destruction to the Palisades Fire, with more than 600 homes burned and tens of thousands evacuated.Tuesday, August 4, 2026
SCE choppers, drones to inspect power lines in western MalibuSouthern California Edison says the flights over the next few weeks will look for hot spots that could fail and spark wildfires.Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Malibu red-tags 16 lots along PCH, but fencing remains inadequateThe city says it red-tagged parcels as a public safety measure, but most sites still have fencing that blew over months ago.Monday, August 3, 20261 comment
YIMBY Law says Malibu agreed to repeal anti-duplex ordinanceThe housing group sued after the governor exempted four fire-hit cities from SB 9; it now says Malibu will accept duplex applications.Monday, August 3, 2026
Red Cross picks Boys and Girls Club as Palisades Fire recovery partnerThe Malibu-based recovery coalition has already distributed $3.3 million in cash and $3.5 million in goods to fire survivors.Sunday, August 2, 2026
LA DWP Seeks Seven-Year Storage Yard in Malibu HillsThe plan would send dozens of daily truck trips through PCH lane closures to serve Pacific Palisades reconstruction 10 miles away.Friday, July 24, 20262 comments
Calabasas Approves 137 More Apartments at Top of Malibu CanyonPlanning commissioners say rejecting the density-bonus project would spark a lawsuit the city would likely lose.Friday, July 24, 2026
FAIR Plan strained by Malibu and other wealthy enclavesMore than 7 percent of California's insurer-of-last-resort liability sits in just seven zip codes, a UC Berkeley analysis finds.Wednesday, July 22, 2026
California making progress on wildfire prevention, but federal cuts loomThe Public Policy Institute of California says the state is treating 591,000 acres a year against a million-acre goal, and federal retreat could set it back.Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Malibu asks state to independently study PCH cliff stabilityCouncil members are skeptical of Caltrans' assurance that the highway in the fire zone is not in danger of falling into the ocean.Thursday, July 16, 2026
Fire victims may be asked to pay to bury Malibu communications linesSCE's high-voltage lines are now underground, but household voltage wires and thick communications cables from Verizon, Charter and Crown Castle remain on poles.Thursday, July 16, 2026
Malibu asks state to protect PCH, not private ownersA proposed letter to Caltrans argues fire-zone beachfront owners should not bear responsibility for shoring up the state highway against wave damage.Friday, July 10, 2026
Malibu to press governor on undergrounding utility linesThe city says telecom and cable companies refuse to bury lines even as Edison undergrounds power lines paid for by ratepayers.Friday, July 10, 20264 comments
Malibu officials fight LADWP storage yard on Corral CanyonCity says emergency permit expired Monday for hillside graded by Los Angeles utility to store pipe for Palisades rebuild 10 miles away.Tuesday, June 23, 20261 comment
Palisades Fire suspect asked ChatGPT about cigarette liability, prosecutors sayFederal prosecutors say Jonathan Rinderknecht queried ChatGPT about cigarette fire liability moments after the fire was set on New Year's Eve.Friday, June 12, 2026
Prosecutors: Palisades fire suspect sought revenge on societyFederal prosecutors say Jonathan Rinderknecht set the Lachman fire out of anger; the defense says he tried to stop it.Thursday, June 11, 2026
L.A. Mayor's brother joins fire victims suing the cityKenneth Bass lost his Rambla Pacifico home in the Palisades fire and is now among thousands of plaintiffs naming his sister as a defendant.Thursday, June 11, 2026
Malibu warns of email scams impersonating City HallFake invoices targeting older adults and fire survivors appear to come from city commissions or committees.Friday, June 5, 2026
Malibu Colony beach homes may get sewer hookup; Serra Estates exemptCity Council to hear update Monday on long-delayed Phase 2 sewer expansion required by state water regulators.Thursday, June 4, 2026
Emergency rent control for fire victims expires in LA CountySupervisors declined to extend price caps imposed after 12,000 homes were destroyed; price gouging limits on building materials are also over.Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Study: cancer-causing chromium-6 spread miles from fire zonesUC researchers found nanoparticles of chromium-6 traveled six to nine miles downwind from the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires.Tuesday, June 2, 2026
Malibu may ban red-flag parking in one-way-in neighborhoodsPublic safety staff recommend parking restrictions, reflective markers and evacuation drills for subdivisions with only one road in and out.Friday, May 29, 2026
First brush fire of season burns six acres near MulhollandCrews stopped the fire within 90 minutes in gentle winds and high humidity; no official cause has been given.Thursday, May 28, 2026
Goats and sheep clear Malibu firebreaks for first time in decadesA herd of 400 goats and 100 sheep has been deployed above Big Rock as part of a $3.2 million state-funded brush clearance effort.Thursday, May 28, 2026
Malibu spends $107,000 to study beachfront sewer assessmentCouncil moves ahead on a PCH sewer district for fire victims, even as members openly question whether the project will pencil out.Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Council to decide fate of disputed Cuthbert Road rebuildA Malibu Park homeowner's bid to combine a Woolsey Fire like-for-like rebuild with a 3,400-square-foot addition tops tonight's agenda.Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Sandy Fire 75% contained after burning 2,200 acresAbout 150 firefighters worked through the holiday on the Simi Valley-area blaze, while a Santa Rosa Island fire is 87% contained.Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Judge bars LA fire-blame defense in Palisades arson trialFederal judge rules Jonathan Rinderknecht cannot blame LA City Fire Department's handling of the earlier Lachman Fire at his upcoming arson trial.Friday, May 22, 2026
Sandy Fire Slows, But Threatens Santa Susana Hazmat SiteCooler weather has helped firefighters contain the Sandy Fire's spread, but crews are positioning to protect a contaminated former rocket-testing site.Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Air Tankers Hit Santa Rosa Island Fire as Containment GrowsA modified Boeing 737 dropped retardant on key buildings as the fire on the Channel Islands reached 26% containment.Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Cal Fire Chief: Expect a Fiery SummerAfter a record-dry March, California has already seen 50% more acres burn than the five-year average.Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Under the Oaks Preschool Reopens in Las Flores CanyonThe longtime Las Flores Canyon school, damaged by last year's fire, has been restored and will fully reopen as a preschool in June.Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Wildfire burns one-fifth of Santa Rosa IslandA fire sparked by a stranded mariner's flare has scorched more than 10,000 acres on the Channel Island west of Malibu.Monday, May 18, 2026
State to unveil new Topanga Lagoon plans May 31California will reveal revised designs for a 31-acre lagoon and rebuilt PCH bridge at Malibu's gateway, after the Palisades Fire erased earlier plans.Friday, May 15, 2026
Newsom budget cuts spending but boosts Malibu fire aidGovernor's revised budget offers $100,000 mortgage grants and a $100 million loan guarantee fund for Palisades, Franklin and Altadena fire victims.Friday, May 15, 2026
Eight Ben Allen fire-recovery bills clear key committeeThe Malibu state senator's package addressing insurance, home hardening and mobile home park protections advanced through Senate Appropriations.Friday, May 15, 2026
Warm water and high bacteria reported on Malibu coastOcean temperatures have hit 63 degrees and county health officials warn of elevated bacteria at Paradise Cove, Surfrider and fire-zone beaches.Friday, May 15, 2026
Agoura Hills evacuation plan draws fire from Kanan Road residentsResidents say traffic estimates ignore reality as city approves more apartments along the key evacuation route from Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains.Thursday, May 14, 2026
Newsom proposes $100 million fund to close wildfire rebuilding gapThe average Palisades and Malibu fire victim is $1.5 million short between insurance payouts and the cost of rebuilding.Thursday, May 14, 2026
Malibu to reactivate dormant Board of Building AppealsThe board required by state law has never met, even as hundreds of fire-destroyed homes face rebuilding.Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Swain: El Niño now certain, with extreme event possibleUCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain says odds exceed 50% for a strong-to-extreme El Niño that could batter Malibu's burn-scarred coast.Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Caltrans to Shift PCH Lanes Inland for Rebuild AccessThe shift, expected late next week, will give oceanfront homeowners more room to unload construction materials in the Malibu fire zone.Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Palisades Fire Suspect Says ATF Agent Biased, Cites Past CaseJonathan Rinderknecht's attorneys want to introduce evidence from a failed Navy arson case investigated by the same federal agent.Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Farmers Insurance Wins 1.5% Average Rate Hike in CaliforniaThe state's second-largest home insurer will raise rates this fall and must write nearly 5,600 new policies in high-wildfire-risk areas.Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Federal Judge to Hold Hearing for Alleged Palisades Fire ArsonistJonathan Rinderknecht, charged with igniting the fire that killed 12 and destroyed parts of Malibu, faces a key admissibility ruling today.Monday, May 11, 2026
Three fire-recovery events scheduled over next 10 daysA landscaping lecture, a Fire Safe Festival in Malibu Canyon and the PaliBu Recovery Expo are all set for the coming days.Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Malibu to shrink annual Safety and Preparedness FairCity Manager will downsize the September event to an indoor format as Malibu reckons with budget strain and event overload.Wednesday, May 6, 2026
State Farm faces tiny fines after 398 violations foundCalifornia regulators found State Farm violated insurance law hundreds of times after the 2025 fires, but state law caps fines at $5,000 each.Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Council slows plan check but rejects builder self-certificationMalibu City Council adopted language to speed rebuilding reviews but stopped short of letting architects self-certify their plans comply with code.Monday, May 4, 2026
Prosecutors: Palisades arson suspect was angry, jilted on New Year's EveFederal trial memo describes Jonathan Rinderknecht as lonely and "pissed off about the world" the night the fire was set.Monday, May 4, 2026
Topanga Lagoon restoration accelerates after Palisades FirePlans to remove the 80-year-old PCH bridge and expand the lagoon to as much as 10 acres are moving forward with new state funding.Monday, May 4, 2026
Lawsuit Says MRCA Hikers Are Trampling Sensitive HabitatThe 257-page complaint alleges the parks agency is violating the California Coastal Act through poor trail management.Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Agoura Hills Defends Plan That Could Close Kanan Road in FiresOfficials say emergency provisions are in place, but their traffic counts assume no surge of evacuees from Malibu.Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Malibu's Mikke Pierson Pitches Disappearing House on Shark TankThe Malibu West resident appears tonight at 9 on ABC to pitch HiberTec — a home that drops into a vault when fire approaches.Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Malibu sues MRCA over Escondido Falls trail ownershipCity seeks court order transferring trail interests from county and parks agency, citing pedestrian deaths and environmental damage.Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Agoura Hills plan would close Kanan Road in major fireDraft evacuation plan up for public comment Thursday assumes no traffic leaves Malibu, alarming mountain residents.Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Controlled pile burn planned Friday above Topanga CanyonFirst intentional burn in the Santa Monica Mountains in decades will dispose of brush cuttings along Summit-to-Summit Motorway.Tuesday, April 14, 2026
State Parks charges Malibu homeowners $150 to clear brush on park landResidents within 100 feet of state parkland are legally responsible for fuel modification — and must pay for a permit to do it.Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Edison nearly done burying PCH power lines — but cables stayTelecom companies aren't required to underground their thick black lines and have no incentive to do so in Malibu.Tuesday, April 14, 2026
City council to discuss Palisades Fire lawsuit in closed sessionMalibu is suing Los Angeles, the state, MRCA and others over the Palisades Fire. State Parks, also a defendant, will brief the council the same night.Monday, April 13, 2026
Wildfire costs add $40 a month to power billsWildfire-related charges now make up 17% of monthly Southern California Edison bills, and the utility wants more from the state insurance fund.Monday, April 13, 2026
Pro-housing group sues over governor's SB 9 fire-zone suspensionYIMBY says Governor's emergency orders allowing Malibu to limit lot splits and ADUs in the fire area are unconstitutional.Monday, April 13, 2026
Malibu Savings Drained as FEMA Money Stalled at White HouseCity manager proposes 10 percent cuts across all departments as reserves fall from $84 million to $55 million.Friday, April 10, 2026
Busch Drive tank flushed again as Malibu Park water deemed safeWind blew open an inspection hatch on the 80-year-old tank, prompting a boil-water order, drainage and superchlorination before service resumes Wednesday.Tuesday, April 7, 2026
State delays Zone Zero rules; public hearing set for April 23California's Board of Forestry has paused the controversial defensible-space rule requiring clearing within five feet of homes.Monday, April 6, 2026
54 more apartments coming to jammed Kanan Road interchangeAgoura Hills will add a four-story, income-restricted complex next to another 278-unit project at Malibu's emergency fire exit.Friday, April 3, 2026
Council subcommittee questions library mental health hireWith $28 million in a library set-aside account, council members ask whether a proposed outreach worker duplicates Boys and Girls Club services.Friday, April 3, 2026
Waterworks breaks ground on Carbon Mesa water mainProject will replace aging, undersized lines that have blocked some Carbon Mesa Road building approvals.Thursday, April 2, 2026
Point Dume food truck sweep finds zero valid licensesA task force cited every truck checked, and operators are now playing cat and mouse with city officials.Thursday, April 2, 2026
Trump joins critics of State Farm over wildfire claimsPresident pledges a federal probe of insurers' handling of California fire claims as administration cuts disaster aid.Thursday, April 2, 2026
Heat and Santa Anas push Malibu toward early fire dangerFire safety liaison warns brush moisture is dropping fast, with a possible heavy El Niño looming this winter.Thursday, April 2, 2026
City Reviews Its Own Fire Response — But Only Its OwnTonight's after-action report examines Malibu city staff during the Palisades and Franklin fires, but not the county fire department's actions.Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Malibu Marks Earth Month With Talks, Cleanups, GiveawaysThe city has lined up events on dark skies, chaparral fire ecology, hazmat collection, pollinator plants and a Bill McKibben talk.Wednesday, April 1, 2026
