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
