Malibu declares wildfire emergency, allowing city to expedite removal of homeless encampments

MALIBU, Calif. (CNS) -- Malibu has declared a local emergency due to worsening wildfire conditions, allowing the city to expedite the removal of homeless encampments in areas considered at high risk for fires, officials announced on Thursday.

The City Council unanimously approved the declaration Monday after live fuel moisture levels in the Santa Monica Mountains dropped below the city's 65% threshold for hazardous fire conditions.

The latest measurement was 63%, down from 67%, according to the city.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department takes fuel samples every two weeks.

Live fuel moisture measures the amount of water contained in living vegetation and is considered a key indicator of wildfire danger. When the level reaches 60%, vegetation can burn as though it were dead, increasing the potential for rapid fire growth, city officials said.

“Declaring a local emergency provides an important proactive measure to reduce wildfire risk and protects lives and homes in Malibu as fire conditions worsen as we move towards the peak fire season,'' Mayor Bruce Silverstein said in a statement.

The declaration allows the city to expedite the removal of homeless encampments in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Under normal conditions, state law requires a more extensive notification process, while the emergency declaration allows removals to be completed within a day, according to the city.

Malibu officials said the city's 2026 homeless count identified 27 unhoused people and 16 dwellings, including tents, vehicles and makeshift shelters. That was down from 46 people in 2025 and 157 in 2021.

The city, working with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, cleared 44 encampments in 2025, 44 in 2024 and 29 in 2023, according to city officials.

The emergency declaration will remain in effect through the hazardous fire season until the city has received at least 2 inches of rain, live fuel moisture reaches at least 80%, and there have been no Fire Weather Watches or Red Flag Warnings during the preceding two weeks or in the extended forecast for Malibu.

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