Topanga Canyon Boulevard (SR-27) remains closed to the general public for safety reasons between State Route 1 and Grand View Drive as extensive cleanup and repairs continue Three crews have been working day and night in the emergency repair area access has expanded to allow escorted school buses during designated times Access is also permitted to law enforcement for public safety Caltrans asks the public to heed the closure points and avoid the area for their safety as debris removal and repair work take place the shoulder and a lane where the road was washed away Caltrans is also installing debris flow barriers and larger culverts and clearing debris from nine locations where slides occurred work will focus on a slide area near postmile 2.52 to install a new drainage system and culverts as well as temporary paving to allow for one lane traffic through that location Many of these improvements will help minimize the impacts of future debris/mudflows due to the extensive burn scars in the canyon Caltrans' contractor is making good progress on clearing storm debris Debris removal from the February slides is nearing completion with all 33,000 cubic yards of mud and debris cleared This material has been hauled out to farms in Somis and is also being used to replenish state park land impacted by the fire and storms.  The storm that came in on April 26 brought down more debris The contractor is also conducting boring tests to determine how deep to drive the piles for the walls Once they place K-rail and install the traffic signals for one-way traffic control Caltrans can open the emergency repair section Extensive utility work continues with Southern California Edison undergrounding utility lines and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works rerouting a water main connection that was exposed when the road washed away Caltrans and its partners aim to partially reopen Topanga Canyon Boulevard with one-way traffic control within two months If you have any questions, please email Topanga@dot.ca.gov Go to ca.gov/LAfires for recovery resources and information. Get help now. Photos of cleanup and repair progress along SR-27 Photos of debris flow on SR-27 on April 28 Photos of the first school bus transport on March 21 in the morning: the California Department of Transportation said California A parking lot at Will Rogers State Beach will be used as a staging area for potentially hazardous household waste removed from the Palisades fire zone Along with impending repairs made after the fire and recent debris flows, Caltrans found and destroyed a massive boulder — roughly the size of an RV — that sat precariously above the road near a power line, the release said. Utility crews must reroute a main water line and underground electric lines under the road. Before the rain, workers found more than 20 locations along Topanga Canyon Boulevard that required debris flow barriers and culvert replacements, along with other safety measures such as rockfall cable mesh. “We recognize the critical role these corridors play in the clean-up and recovery efforts for the residents and the public. The decision to reopen lanes must be a joint decision from all parties with a specific plan in place and with safety as the top consideration,” Caltrans said. The department said it would look into options for limited, escorted access to the area as repairs continue. Sandra McDonald is a reporting fellow at the Los Angeles Times. She grew up in north central Florida, just an hour south of the University of Florida where she studied journalism and worked with the local NPR station, WUFT, and Fresh Take Florida, a news service focused on statewide and political coverage. She previously was an intern with The Times’ breaking news team. Politics Climate & Environment Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Culver City-based food waste reduction firm Topanga lands an $8 million series A funding round Adam Bailey and Max Olshansky created food waste reduction startup Topanga they didn’t know they were inadvertently collecting some of the same data as delivery services like Uber Eats and DoorDash the Culver City-based waste reduction startup announced in late March it raised $8 million in series A funding led by Blue Bear Capital with additional participation from Santa Monica-based Struck Capital Topanga has raised more than $12 million to date The company works with food service companies to generate sustainable packaging and limit food waste in kitchens and restaurants But the data from that proved to be more valuable to consumers than previously anticipated and could be the key solution to an ongoing battle between restaurants and food delivery apps “It’s one of those unanticipated externalities of what we’re doing,” said Schult is a stack of reusable food packaging for takeout with a QR code stamped on it with instructions for consumers and a gamified digital arm that allows both users and companies to track how many packages are returned to the restaurants The program is largely contained within campuses at universities (like Occidental College in Eagle Rock) senior living facilities and hospital systems where people are more likely to return to the same dining hall every day Around 430 commercial kitchens are onboarded on to the program “It works a lot like checking out a library book,” Schult said “…They get really easy SMS notifications about where and when to return their container The operators get to remove the 60-cent compostable packaging that they were sending out to landfill with every order They get to turn that into a cost-reducing recurring line of revenue.” The data that came from the Reuse Pass program created Streamline which allows companies to track demand for different kinds of food during lunch and dinner rush which is not designed to give you consumer behavioral data at its core my Panda Express on campus does the most volume each day,’” Schult said “You get more of those insights into consumer behavior.” restaurants aren’t able to gain key insights on what food customers are ordering where they live and how to make specific business decisions based on those demographics “They’re getting hit from every angle,” Schult said So a technology like what ours is and can continue to be which adds visibility streamlines your efficiency in your kitchen gives you that data to reduce your waste can really help with that bottom line.” The company was started in earnest in 2020 with a much different premise in mind Husband and wife duo Schult and Bailey both worked in food packaging – Schult was working in compostables leading e-commerce and operations teams and watching the word “sustainability” become a huge marketing driver for conscious consumers Bailey worked at Jefferson Park-based Sweetgreen as a data engineering manager keeping an eye out for ways the company could track money and food waste at scale Topanga started as a milkman-style market for farmers As families became used to eating in instead of going out and local farmers lost out on revenue from the shuttered farmers markets the pair put together reusable boxes of goods sourced from farmers which they would then pick up once a week to refill – much like the glass milk jars milkmen delivered and walkable streets began to fill up with people once again the company pivoted from a consumer-focused model to a business-focused one Learn how to describe the purpose of the image (opens in a new tab) Leave empty if the image is purely decorative A modest but motivated crowd gathered by Topanga Beach on Friday afternoon to protest the decision to place a sorting site for toxic and contaminated debris cleared from the Palisades Fire where the Topanga Ranch Motel used to be Located next to Topanga Canyon Lane and straddling the Creek the site is adjacent to where the popular Reel Inn seafood diner was on the east side of the Pacific Coast Highway to make their feeling known to officials from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) The EPA announced the staging area will operate 24/7 for up to three months as crews process dangerous materials collected from fire-damaged properties part of Topanga State Park and previously slated for a lagoon restoration project will serve as a controlled facility where hazardous materials can be "safely processed according to California State Parks officials One of the primary concerns is that any risk of leak equates to toxic materials leaking into the creek and flowing freely into the ocean Topanga Creek drains Topanga Canyon and is the third largest watershed entering the Santa Monica Bay since all vegetation in the surrounding hills and mountains has burned there is little left to hold the soil together the danger of catastrophic mudslides is real to residents in the nearby neighborhoods and so is the potential spread of these toxic contaminants Many items typically found in homes contain chemicals and materials that will produce toxic fumes and residuals when burnt solar panels and in fact just about anything electronic cars and electric vehicles all contain components that are made from materials that present a contamination danger after being utterly incinerated which still exists in many houses built between 1930 and 1950 A call to action email was sent to residents and posted on social media towards the end of last week encouraging anyone with a vested interest to come along and make their thoughts and feelings known the presence of just about every media outlet offered some reassurance that the message would at least be heard the EPA originally wanted to set this facility up at Will Rogers Beach but that was denied for reasons that not even the EPA are totally sure about that doesn’t offer much consolation to the residents of Topanga Canyon Why can't it be done right in the Palisades?” asked local resident Chad White Much of the objection was the fact that this site was having to take the debris from Palisades Village We kicked people out of here 20 years ago because it was too much for them to live on the watershed Now you're telling me that we can bring all this crap here I'll take the share of what happened here and what happened up there we all shared resources … but it is their stuff and they do have a huge amount of area available I bet you guys would love to use that space [Will Rogers] It's eight times the size of this … This is a flood zone What's your plan if this area floods?” asked White Additional concerns included the additional congestion that the constant movement of heavy vehicles would create on the PCH Attempting to respond to everyone’s objections was Rusty Harris-Bishop California Site Cleanup Section Manager for the EPA “These people have a passion for their community and they feel that they weren't involved in the decision making process.” “What we've done already is we've cleared the burned areas that were destroyed in the fires where we put a multi layer of material so that we can have a stable place to work that's lined with wattles so that we can prevent anything from washing on or washing off the property of that pad,” Harris-Bishop explained “We're going to then bring those materials from the burned area on those trucks they're going to come in here and be unloaded by our staff that work here and then those are going to be the materials that we've collected are then going to be put into larger containers that are appropriate for shipping to disposal facilities.” He stressed that every precaution was being taken to ensure that the operation goes smoothly and that the materials are being transported in sealed containers on trucks When asked why this particular site was chosen FEMA LA County and the surrounding cities to respond to the fires and how we're going to do this recovery and rebuilding We were denied initially … I don't know the interior discussions about that They were being used by emergency vehicles from Cal Fire and from the utility companies “There are a lot of large vehicles and equipment being staged all over the county to respond to this but there are other people who were here first fighting the fire we're hoping that we can move into some of them.” Nearly one year after we last stopped by, framing is complete for Alliant Strategic's Pendant on Topanga apartments in Canoga Park.  Under construction since 2023 at 7322-7340 N. Topanga Canyon Boulevard the project replaced a 1980s office building with a five-story edifice that will feature 149 studio and two-bedroom apartments above ground-floor parking for 109 vehicles.  HBA is designing Pendant which is composed of food framing above a concrete podium and is to be clad in stucco and aluminum panels Resident amenities would include a rooftop terrace deck The project is one of four projects from Alliant Strategic that are expected to create more than 700 middle-income apartments between 2024 and 2025. One of those is a 220-unit development now taking shape a short distance to the east on Canoga Avenue. Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn / Threads / Instagram / Bluesky State of California • Department of Transportation Contact: Diana Jimenez Topanga — The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announces overnight closures of Topanga Canyon Boulevard (State Route 27) in the unincorporated area of Topanga for pavement work starting Monday The closures will be from Monday through Friday The closures will impact both directions of Topanga Canyon Boulevard between Cezanne Avenue to Happy Trail one lane will be open for use by both directions on traffic with flaggers directing alternating traffic Closures are weather-permitting and subject to change. Motorists should expect delays and are advised to use alternate routes during construction hours. Additionally, motorists can view current traffic closures before they leave for their destination by visiting the Caltrans Quickmap Residents and businesses located near the highway are advised to anticipate noise and dust associated with construction activities The work is part of a project to repave Topanga Canyon Boulevard and upgrade curb ramps and bus pads in the San Fernando Valley and through the unincorporated area of Topanga The work zone spans more than 18 miles on Topanga Canyon Boulevard from Pacific Coast Highway to Devonshire Street in Chatsworth Caltrans reminds motorists to “Be Work Zone Alert” and “Slow for the Cone Zone.” | CleanCA.com | CleanWaterCA.com | #BeWorkZoneAlert | X | Facebook | YouTube | unapologetic statement of craftsmanship and design fusing modern amenities and natural beauty this handmade Topanga retreat rejects convention fusing brutalist durability with organic materials to create something entirely unique; part shelter Hand-troweled plaster walls catch shifting light while the first floor's micro-cement flooring adds an industrial edge The kitchen is an anchor; bandsawn walnut cabinets with deep paired with raw leathered quartzite and Ceppo marble countertops It's a space built for both function and impact A custom steel and walnut staircase ascends to the second floor drawing attention to a floating cork light sculpture wide-plank antique brown oak floors bring warmth and contrast Rooms are complemented by handmade walnut window and door sills Each of the 4.5 bathrooms feature organic stonework and basins that stand alone as functional art pieces The partial subterranean lower level includes a 2-car garage the land is as intentional as the home itself The hardscape and newly designed landscape are fitted with an integrated irrigation and lighting system blending native California and Australian specimens into the rugged terrain Egg House runs on two deep wells (150 feet and 350 feet) a newly installed 30-year fire-resistant roof stands guard 225 Powderhorn Ranch Rd, Topanga, CA 90290, USA is being listed for $4,995,000 with Jenny Tucker at Compass. For more information, visit: www.compass.com/app... LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio Hundreds of endangered fish were evacuated from Topanga Creek after the devastating Palisades Fire ripped through the area The Southern California steelhead trout survived the flames underwater but recent rains posed a new threat — localized extinction heavy materials and ash from burn-scarred Topanga Canyon into the creek Officials worried that flows after a major storm would wipe out the fish population environmental program manager with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife told LAist that Topanga Creek is home to the last SoCal steelhead in the Santa Monica Mountains the species’ historic habitat where it is now considered critically endangered “I'm glad we were able to take action and get those fish out because and the habitat now is completely filled in Wildlife officials went out late last month with nets buckets and fish-finding contraptions called backpack electrofishers Their goal: collecting as many trout as possible They wanted to get all of them out of the creek but Evans admitted that might have been ambitious “ I'm happy with the amount of fish we got,” he said “We weren't able to cover every little bit of the creek just with the amount of time and staff we had and there's also some areas that are just really deep beautiful pools that are really hard to get fish out of.” Then the Eaton and Palisades fires broke out it kind of accelerated the process,” Evans said “You know the things we've been talking about for the last couple years We got to take action now; this is what we've been preparing for The Palisades Fire burned all the way to the creek in some places scorching trees and vegetation along the way the rain can wash large amounts of ash and sediment into the creek gross water” is hard for the trout to breathe in and Evans said they can suffocate or get crushed So the Topanga Creek trout were loaded into huge plastic aquarium tanks and driven to Fillmore Fish Hatchery which is operated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Now the fish are being kept in isolated tanks in a separate area so as to not bring in any diseases from the outside Officials have tried to make the fish as comfortable as possible — including installing pieces of PVC pipe for places to hide But the ultimate goal is to get them back into the streams and creeks where they belong “ They're not used to being in these tanks," Evans said. "It's not natural for them.” The hope is to get the SoCal steelhead back swimming freely in the next couple of weeks, but that could be in a different stream. Topanga Creek still needs time to recover Federal and state officials have designated the former Topanga Ranch Motel site as a temporary hazardous materials sorting facility for debris from the Palisades Fire raising concerns among local residents about environmental impacts Environmental Protection Agency announced the staging area located at Pacific Coast Highway and Topanga Canyon Boulevard will operate 24/7 for up to three months as crews process dangerous materials collected from fire-damaged properties "This is an ongoing effort to assist Los Angeles County with mitigating risks and protecting communities by removing this material so people impacted by the firestorms can return to their properties," State Parks representatives said in a statement EPA officials emphasized strict safety measures at the facility - Spill control measures including wattles The EPA is leading initial recovery efforts following the Palisades and Eaton fires spearheading a two-phase debris removal program in affected areas including Altadena and Pacific Palisades The EPA will conduct mandatory household hazardous materials removal in Phase One EPA teams have completed initial scouting and will begin removing hazardous materials in the coming days Army Corps of Engineers in cooperation with LA County Public Works to choose between two options: enrolling in the free government-managed removal program or hiring private contractors who meet Army Corps standards More than 600 residents have already submitted opt-in forms for the program Officials emphasized that Phase One EPA clearance must be completed before any Phase Two work can begin whether through government or private contractors Property owners seeking updates on Phase One progress can contact the EPA at 833-798-7372 or email EPA_la_wildfires_info@epa.gov Those with questions about general debris removal can call 844-347-3332 The hazardous materials site selection has temporarily halted design work on the Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project Officials said the EPA will conduct soil testing after operations conclude to ensure no contamination occurred "US EPA will re-test the soils at the staging area for hazardous substances and ensure the levels are at or below the initial reading," State Parks officials said US EPA will work to remediate the site back to the original levels." The Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains reported receiving numerous inquiries from concerned residents about the facility's environmental impact on the sensitive coastal area Some residents organized a protest of the decision within hours of its announcement.  The EPA said materials will be transported along routes designed to minimize disturbance to local communities with specialized containment methods preventing dispersal during transit The agency established a public hotline and email address for residents with questions about the hazardous materials removal work The staging area announcement comes as officials continue cleanup efforts from the Palisades Fire which began January 8 and prompted widespread evacuations along the coast We are watching the storms this week to see if any further debris comes down only maintenance workers and emergency responders will be allowed in the canyon We will assess the conditions Friday for the contractor to continue working Conditions have allowed crews to begin the clean-up of least 33,000 cubic yards of mud and debris that came down after the last storm Once the boulder was reduced to rubble on February 24 engineers surveyed the extent of damage and determined that retaining walls must be built in three locations one specifically to replace guardrail and to rebuild the shoulder and lane where the road washed away (above photos) Rebuilding the shoulder and lane will take at least a month there are multiple locations throughout SR-27 that will require installation of debris flow barriers and installation of larger culverts.  These improvements will help minimize the impacts of debris/mudflows on SR-27 due to the extensive burn scars in the canyon As it may take it several months before the road is fully open due to repair work Southern California Edison will now undertake previously planned work to underground its utility lines (More on partial opening plans later.) Additionally the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works wants to re-route a water main connection for the town that was exposed when the road washed away All mud and debris that came down onto the highway is being pushed to the side of the road and will be tested Clean dirt will be sent to Oxnard farms for reuse Caltrans is aiming to open one lane to essential business travel during dedicated times and with an escort and possibly shuttles to provide residents access once it’s deemed safe Although reopening the roadway is dependent on cleanup Caltrans stands ready to execute this interim reopening plan in coordination with the CHP and any affected public agencies as soon as it is safe to do so Caltrans recognizes the critical role these corridors play in the clean-up and recovery efforts for the residents and the public The decision to reopen lanes must be a joint decision from all parties with a specific plan in place and with safety as the top consideration For recovery resources and information, visit ca.gov/LAfires. Get help now. Date:        March 19 Topanga Canyon Boulevard (SR-27) remains closed to the public for safety reasons between Pacific Coast Highway and Grand View as extensive cleanup and repairs continue The closure is to protect the public from serious injuries and fatalities Caltrans is prepared to open the road as soon as it is safe to do so in coordination with the California Highway Patrol Caltrans expects to open one lane to school buses during designated times with an escort this week and is working on a plan with its partners to also allow essential business travel during this timeframe with at least 8,600 cubic yards of mud and debris — equivalent to 860 truckloads — removed so far of the 33,000 cubic yards that came down on the highway after the February storm All mud and debris are being pushed to the side of the road and tested Caltrans and its partners are working to restore Topanga Canyon Boulevard by building retaining walls in three locations and rebuilding the shoulder and lane where the road was washed away multiple locations throughout SR-27 will require the installation of debris flow barriers and installation of larger culverts These improvements will help minimize the impacts of future debris/mudflows on SR-27 due to the extensive burn scars in the canyon Southern California Edison has also begun the process of undergrounding utility lines (watch: https://youtu.be/-f9eNIdb3QI) The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works will be re-routing a water main connection that was exposed when the road washed away If you have any questions, please email Topanga@dot.ca.gov Go to ca.gov/LAfires for recovery resources and information. Get help now. Photos of slide material on SR-27 from March 12 to March 13 Storm Temporary Relocation Will Safeguard the Last Santa Monica Mountains Population from Post-fire Storm Impacts Media Note: A link to download photos and video Watch CDFW’s video about the Topanga Creek steelhead trout rescue As part of statewide efforts to help Californians and wildlife recover from the Southern California fires 23 the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and its partners rescued 271 endangered Southern California steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from Topanga Creek the last known population of this species in the Santa Monica Mountains These fish survived in the chilly waters of Topanga Creek as the Palisades Fire swept through Topanga Canyon but rain brought the threat of localized extinction Storm events in late January and future storms falling over the burn scar can carry ash sediment and debris into the creek that would suffocate and wipe out the population Fisheries biologists estimate the remaining population to be as few as 400 - 500 trout “The fires in Southern California have been incredibly devastating,” said CDFW Chief Deputy Director Valerie Termini “CDFW stands with the victims who have lost their homes Part of that effort is to bring back habitats and wildlife Our role is going to be for the long term — helping people and wildlife recover “People in California want to live where biodiversity is thriving,” added Termini With the help of teams from the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains the trout were captured from the creek and relocated to CDFW’s nearby Fillmore Fish Hatchery to prevent a likely mortality event during the rains they will be held in a specially designated area of the hatchery that is set aside for the conservation of imperiled fish until it is safe to be returned to their home waters or another suitable creek in the area Most of the netted fish were no bigger than 12 inches in length “Southern California steelhead are critically endangered within the Santa Monica Mountains,” said CDFW Environmental Program Manager Kyle Evans “Topanga Creek is their only remaining population when historically trout were found in streams across the Los Angeles area They are adapted to drier summers and warmer water temperatures; they have a really complex life where they can either stay in the creek their whole life or go to the ocean and come back,” added Evans iconic species whose success represents a healthy watershed and healthy watersheds mean better water quality for us all Protecting this population and their home habitats isn’t just good for the trout it benefits the Californians of this community and beyond.” In addition to this one-day operation to rescue the population of critically endangered fish CDFW is working alongside California’s resource agencies to support state fire response and recovery efforts following the Southern California fires CDFW staff are working to rescue and relocate animals impacted or displaced by the fires and are supporting and monitoring intake of injured wildlife to licensed wildlife rehabilitators As climate disruption continues to impact California residents CDFW is working to help California be more resilient CDFW’s Wildfire Resiliency Initiative has increased the pace and scale of vegetation management activities on its 1.1 million acres of state lands Fire fuels reduction has been implemented on more than 100,000 acres annually across 90 high fire-risk lands statewide providing protection to disadvantaged communities and adjacent natural lands Advances in veterinary medical science have come as a result of CDFW’s work in collaboration with the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine — the application of fish skin to treat animal burn victims first used in North America on bears and a mountain lion injured in a 2017 wildfire and today on animal burn patients around the world CDFW’s work in wildlife science has helped save rare populations of animals during fires mountain yellow-legged frog tadpoles were pulled out of the blackened landscape of a 116,000-acre wildfire where most breeding pools were destroyed by charred rubble CDFW supported efforts to help riparian brush rabbits to higher ground during 2023 flooding events Salmon spawning and rearing habitats have been restored in drought-impacted creeks and streams across California These advances not only support the species themselves but the Californians living near and benefitting from healthy Topanga Canyon Boulevard (SR 27) remains closed between PCH and Grand View Drive due to downed power poles and power lines in work zones as well as mud and debris on the roadway from January 26 rainfall which prompted the temporary evacuation of utility and Caltrans maintenance crews  More rainfall is anticipated this week which will likely lead to more mud and debris flow Caltrans is exploring options for limited access and will maintain access for emergency responders during the closure Initial inspections have found fire-related damage impacting many structures within State right-of-way Caltrans understands that restoring utilities is a top priority for residents and business owners Crews are working to keep the roadway clear and navigable for utility companies to continue their repair work and for emergency responders to have safe access for their operations As Caltrans makes progress clearing parts of SR 27 utility companies will be working as long as they have space to safely make repairs Although reopening the roadway is dependent on cleanup and the weather Caltrans stands ready to execute a reopening plan in coordination with the CHP as soon as it is safe to do so We recognize the critical role these corridors play in the clean-up and recovery efforts for the residents and the motoring public and local authorities currently have traffic control measures in place as utility repairs and debris removal are underway at the same time emergency responders continue their operations We will keep you informed on plans to provide limited access to assist access during designated periods with escorts You can view video of crews clearing mud and debris from SR 27 at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQWZliaEgsA Contact:Newsroom@parks.ca.gov Will Rogers’ former ranch house was destroyed by the Palisades Fire PACIFIC PALISADES —The devastating Palisades Fire destroyed historic buildings and multiple structures at two California State Parks last night, including Will Rogers’ historic ranch house and buildings at Will Rogers State Historic Park (SHP). The fire fueled by wind gusts up to 80 mph also destroyed parts of Topanga State Park (SP) including the historic Topanga Ranch Motel “California State Parks mourns the loss of these treasured natural and cultural resources and our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the devastating fires in the Los Angeles area,” said State Parks Director Armando Quintero we are directing all available resources into the emergency response effort and working to secure and protect as much as we can at affected nearby state parks We are deeply grateful to our parks staff and all partner agencies for their swift actions Our top priority remains the safety of the public our employees and the responders bravely battling the fires.” Shortly after the Palisades Fire began around 10:30 a.m State Parks closed Topanga SP and Will Rogers SHP as a precaution The fire quickly moved onto State Parks property at Topanga SP and that evening While a full assessment of the damages and losses isn’t immediately available here are the significant impacts known:  Will Rogers was one of the most popular and highest-paid actors in Hollywood and “America’s most beloved citizen.” From his start in vaudeville theaters with a trick roping act “cowboy philosopher,” aviation enthusiast he bought land in Santa Monica where he developed a ranch Will Rogers owned about 359 acres in what is now known as Pacific Palisades At the time of his death in a plane crash in 1935 his ranch consisted of a 31-room ranch house with neighboring guest housing donated the ranch to State Parks in 1944 and it became a historic park the bungalow-style Topanga Ranch Motel had 30 rooms that once housed Pacific Coast Highway construction workers provided an inexpensive seaside holiday vacation retreat for families and writers and was a popular film and television location State Parks acquired the motel in 2001 and in recent years plans had been in the works to restore about 20 of the cabins for public use Top left: Living room inside Will Rogers’ ranch house Bottom row: Exterior of the stables before and after the fire Top and bottom right: The fire aftermath of the historic Topanga Ranch Motel Bottom left: The Topanga Ranch Motel before the Palisades Fire Subscribe to California State Parks News via e-mail at NewsRoom@parks.ca.gov California State Parks provides for the health inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources and creating opportunities for high quality outdoor recreation Sign up to receive the latest State Parks news directly to your email Have a question? Use the Contact Us Page. © Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); Heal the Bay strongly disagrees with the use of Topanga Creek and the Will Rogers State Beach parking lot for the sorting and staging of hazardous waste. In January, Heal the Bay met with the EPA to obtain information and discuss our concerns. See our original January FAQ on the Topanga site to learn more Heal the Bay has been hard at work advocating for the communities Heal the Bay’s Associate Director of Science and Policy toured the EPA hazardous waste sorting and storage sites at Topanga Creek and Will Rogers State Beach with Supervisor Lindsey Horvath  The pollution mitigation measures observed by Heal the Bay at the Topanga site caused concern as they did not seem adequate While we continue to fight for the EPA to move operations to a safer location our Science & Policy Team is also developing recommendations to strengthen mitigation measures to prevent contaminants from leaving the EPA sites and polluting our beaches Heal the Bay strongly disagrees with the use of Topanga Creek and Will Rogers State Beach parking lot for the sorting and staging of hazardous waste We also recognize that the most dangerous situation is for hazardous waste to remain in the community with few measures in place to prevent the contaminants from reaching the ocean If the EPA does not move its operations to a more acceptable site we demand that it implement stronger pollution mitigation and begin water quality testing at these sites Here is a timeline outlining Heal the Bay’s actions since the EPA designated the site Since Heal the Bay first learned that the EPA sites were chosen Heal the Bay has been in communication with LA City Councilmember Traci Park and staff from Senator Ben Allen’s and Assemblymember Rick Zbur’s offices We have also met with members of the community concerned about the impacts of the fires and hazardous waste storage on their health and the health of our oceans Heal the Bay continues to oppose using the beach locations for Phase 1 hazardous waste storage and develop recommendations to improve the mitigation measures to prevent contamination from leaving the EPA’s hazardous waste sites We will continue to advocate for the affected coastal waters Sign Me Up Copyright ©2025 Heal the Bay. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Financial Information & Annual ReportsHeal the Bay is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization All gifts are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law Heal the Bay's Tax ID number is 95-4031055 2025 at 12:13 pm PT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Topanga Canyon Boulevard has been largely closed to most traffic due to storm damage CA — Topanga Canyon Boulevard may not fully reopen for several months as crews continue to work to repair damage caused by recent storms The Malibu Times reported that Caltrans has created a one-lane road through the most badly damaged stretch of the road which is about two miles north of Pacific Coast Highway Essential travel is prioritized in that area “We have about nine different places where there are slides and three different locations that require retaining walls,” Caltrans spokeswoman Lauren Wonder said “Our goal over the next two and a half to three months is to clear the slides and restore two-way traffic control up to the point where the road has actually slipped out.” Read more at the Malibu Times. 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A coalition of Topanga community groups will hold a rally on March 30 to advocate for the reopening of Topanga Canyon Boulevard which has been closed since recent fires and subsequent mudslides made the road impassable at Grandview Drive and Topanga Canyon Boulevard "Sometimes Topanga gets overlooked unless we speak up the road needs to be repaired so it's safe and secure All we're asking of our elected officials is that it happen quickly and that our community be informed of the schedule," said event organizer Sahaja Douglass Community members say the prolonged closure has severely impacted local businesses complicated school commutes and cut off residents from medical care and employment opportunities The rally is supported by the Topanga Chamber of Commerce Topanga Association for a Scenic Community Topanga Community Center and the Coalition to Open TCB Residents in Topanga Canyon – an area of Indigenous heritage and artists – mobilized against the state’s decision to bring in hazardous materials after wildfires it was called Rodeo Grounds – an eclectic neighborhood of artists musicians and surfers living in beach shacks where Topanga Canyon meets the Pacific Ocean In a bizarre agreement with the former owner some paid as little as $100 a month for rent raising multiple generations of their families here since the 1950s But that was before the state purchased the property and started evicting residents in 2001 who once owned Howell-Green Fine Art Gallery further up in the canyon “I actually had a show in my gallery 20 years ago for the group of artists who lived there at Rodeo Grounds who they kicked out of that spot because it was so environmentally sensitive,” says Howell Whatever the bulldozers didn’t raze decades ago – including the shuttered Topanga Ranch Motel, a series of bungalow-style rooms originally built in 1929 by the media tycoon William Randolph Hearst and which closed in 2004 – is now decimated due to the Palisades fire that ignited on 7 January as well as EV lithium-ion batteries from destroyed Pacific Palisades properties some 8 miles (13km) away About three weeks ago a brigade of EPA workers began sorting and bundling the hazardous materials to ultimately be taken en masse to appropriate recycling centers EPA deputy incident commander for the Palisades and Eaton fires As soon as word got out about plans to use the site residents in the tight-knit community of Topanga Canyon – often affectionately referred to as “hicks and hippies” though the median income and house prices in the canyon also suggests they are well-paid – went into action contacting officials attending council meetings from Malibu to the Palisades to register their dismay and protesting when the EPA workers showed up “Most of us here are environmentalists and we are just wondering how it makes sense to transport hazardous materials down to the water?” The name Topanga comes from the Indigenous Tongva people and is said to mean ‘where the mountain meets the sea’ Photograph: Courtesy of Marielle StobieThe name Topanga comes from the Indigenous Tongva people and is said to mean “where the mountain meets the sea” Topanga resident Deb Rivera says she’s upset because Lower Topanga and Topanga Canyon are important sites of Native American heritage: “Doing this here is disrespectful.” She also points out that Topanga lacks representation We have no mayor; we have no city councilperson fighting for us.” Residents say through their countless meetings they learned the EPA wanted to use the paved parking lot of Will Rogers state beach Rivera and others believe this plan was nixed because Palisades and nearby Santa Monica had representatives pushing back for them but EPA’s Calanog says decisions were made entirely for practical purposes and to get the job done quickly the Palisades fire was less than 50% contained,” Calanog explained “There were a lot of firefighting personnel still actively fighting the fires and there’s not a lot of flat land of considerable space.” He said firefighters utility trucks and more all needed space – including at Will Rogers “We were limited in terms of what was available.” residents begged decision makers to reconsider arguing that the debris should ideally be sorted in place who played Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter movies has had regular strategy meetups with neighbors at the Topanga library and is collecting signatures on a petition to stop EPA’s use of Topanga Residents have been most concerned about the EV lithium-ion batteries which contain toxic metals and are highly flammable “This is a public health thing but it’s also about the economy So many communities around here rely on tourism that the coastline brings You don’t sort toxic debris at the beach,” says Wright Though the activists say EPA staff have been respectful and willing to talk an EPA veteran who has headed wildfire response for Hawaii and the west coast for the past 15 years says he empathizes yet is confident in his agency’s safety protocols “One of the misconceptions with all of this work is that somehow there’s some exotic chemical that’s being brought into the community,” he said “What we’re pulling out of the homes are things that every homeowner buys for themselves to use in their day-to-day life.” Calanog says the chemicals are placed in containers upon pickup by one of the 50 teams working in the Palisades “There are no errant fumes.” At the Lower Topanga worksite industrial grade barriers on the unpaved ground surrounding the site to prevent any potential runoff the agency soil tested before beginning work and will do so again after completion The data will be given to the department of public works to release to the public we’ve never impacted a property,” Calanog said residents got heartening news: EPA had packed up the lithium ion battery sorting station and moved it from Lower Topanga to the Will Rogers beach parking lot Calanog says now that the national guard and others have moved out “For the team that is handling the batteries it was just easier to stage their equipment and their vehicles there.” One resident called it a heroic move on the EPA’s behalf Phase one cleanup will be done by the end of the month and Calanog says Topanga will continue to be used for the rest of the household hazardous waste until then But residents now worry that the site will not be closed when the EPA’s work is complete “There’s still a chance that Topanga could be used for phase two cleanup when the Army Corps of Engineers take over,” says Howell Calanog says though no decisions have been made “I would caveat that their work is vitally important and I’m sure that they’re going to explore all areas from which to base their operation so they can do their work just as fast.” The winds were generating “insanely good” waves closer to his home in Topanga Canyon, a mountain town about three miles up the coast. From his vantage point bobbing on the ocean, he could see spot fires cropping up all over lower Topanga — no firefighters in sight. Less than two days later, Heat Hawks was in full swing. The band of locals, some of whom have stayed put despite an evacuation order, describe their mission as “house triage.” They scout their streets for fires, putting out the small ones and calling in the professionals if the flames grow beyond what they can handle with hoses and buckets of pool water. Mabra wears a lot of hats — none of which, he readily admits, have prepped him for battling flames that could take down a house and his neighborhood along with it. “F— no, I’m a carpenter and musician and surfer,” said Mabra, 43, grinning. “Not a firefighter by any means.” “We even have a password at the roadblock,” he said. With the Palisades fire eerily close and firefighters stretched thin, residents of the tight-knit mountain community have taken it upon themselves to stomp out embers, turn off gas tanks and safeguard homes. On Thursday morning, Jim Wiley, the town plumber and unofficial canyon caretaker, is checking on the fate of a few houses he heard might have burned overnight. He stops at a vacant, half-renovated home — one of the few whose owners he does not know personally. “These are little bombs” he said, surveying cans of paint remover scattered next to garbage bags in the driveway. “Right next to the flammable stuff.” He defuses them, crushing the cans and dragging them into the driveway. As he winds his way up the mountain, most of what he sees is good news that gets delivered to evacuated friends and clients as soon as he gets a patch of service. “Amazingly enough, your house is still standing,” he tells another. “You’ll have your own bed to go get snuggly-ugly.” “My place is toast,” a driver informs Wiley as he passes on the road. “But my scuba tanks are still there!” A blackened brick home on Swenson Drive houses nothing recognizable except for three melted cars in a collapsing garage. Another home on Saddle Peak Road has been reduced to charred rubble, the only things still standing are a stove and what looks like a gun safe. “My wife and I, when we first got together, we used to live downstairs in a little apartment here,” said Wiley, standing in the debris where his front door circa 1988 used to be. “Jesus Christ.” Wiley is a fourth-generation Topanga Canyon resident. His great-grandfather homesteaded in the canyon in the late 1800s and his grandfather helped build Topanga Canyon Boulevard, the main road through the community. He said he’s seen his home transform from a “backwater” — so remote the local weatherman used to forget to give a forecast for it — to a pricey enclave for artists that he can’t afford to buy a house in. But some things haven’t changed. Residents new and old say they feel overlooked by their government — during normal times and natural disasters. “You fill the gap, right?” said Wiley, lugging a fallen tree from the road just in time for a Cybertruck to pass. “We’re unincorporated — we just get overlooked.” Some residents told The Times they felt forgotten in the first few days of the fire as the emergency response prioritized flames raging in Altadena and the Palisades before turning to the canyon community of roughly 8,000. Sculptor Chad Hagerman said he watched nervously as the fires encroached deeper into the canyon unchecked. “There was not one plane in the air yesterday,” said Hagerman, who stayed behind to guard his home of eight years. “That’s the truth.” On Thursday, it was a different story as L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who represents the mountain community, vowed that Topanga would be the “No. 1 priority” for the county fire department. Helicopters flew through the canyon all morning dumping water on spot fires. “Those pilots are damn heroes,” said Otto Martin, 56, as he watched drop after drop from his perch near his friend’s decor shop. Even with the focus on Topanga, it was hard to know how long it would last. Every half hour, Wiley’s “Sweet Home Alabama” ringtone would go off with a resident asking if it was safe to come back. “If you’re in a comfortable spot with the family, stay there,” he said to one, looking out on a canyon still billowing black plumes of smoke. So far, he said, the community had gotten lucky with the wind pushing the smoke southwest. But you never know which way it will blow. Sports The route now operates once daily in each direction and is being escorted by Caltrans The Topanga Beach Bus resumed service Wednesday reconnecting residents of the West Valley and Topanga Canyon with Santa Monica after a pause due to the Palisades Fire and related road damage which runs from Warner Center to Santa Monica Beach now operates once daily in each direction and is being escorted by Caltrans through closed sections of Topanga Canyon Boulevard is expected once road repairs are completed alongside officials from Public Works and Caltrans calling it a vital link for residents affected by the ongoing closure of Topanga Canyon Boulevard between Grand View Drive and Pacific Coast Highway “Though the beach bus is usually known as an affordable way to enjoy the coast it’s now playing a crucial role in helping our residents stay connected in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire,” Horvath said in a statement The bus connects the Orange Line transit hub at Canoga Avenue with the Expo Line in Santa Monica offering a faster and cost-effective alternative to driving along congested detour routes “This is about more than transportation—it’s about equitable access and supporting communities,” said Mark Pestrella director of Los Angeles County Public Works The service will continue to operate seven days a week with limited trips until full access to Topanga Canyon Boulevard is restored is celebrating one year of business this spring... The 2,091-square-foot condo occupies the second floor of a 1972-built structure and features sweeping ocean views A beachfront condominium in.. the Gondoliers have clinched the top spot in their league and will look.. Firefighters from both departments worked together to inspect the aircraft for potential damage A small aircraft made an emergency landing.. While algal blooms and domoic acid outbreaks have occurred this particular bloom has reportedly impacted more animals than in recent.. Open houses for the property are scheduled to begin May 6 A rare stretch of undeveloped property along the Venice.. well-priced lots in desirable locations are finding buyers .. Federal prosecutors said the defendants submitted false claims following the devastating January 2025 wildfire Three people have been charged in.. A catalog of programs and classes has opened for Summer at Crossroads an immersive experience for students to continue to.. 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Made with ❤️ by ENKI Tech Officials are urging drivers to use caution while traveling through these areas Four Los Angeles County-maintained roads that were closed due to recent storms will fully reopen today at 11 a.m. restoring critical connectivity for residents in the unincorporated community of Topanga Canyon and Saddle Peak Road will provide alternative routes for residents and commuters while Tuna Canyon Road remains closed Las Flores Canyon Road will continue to be restricted to local residents only and we remain committed to supporting our communities at each stage of reopening,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P “We have listened to how challenging these road closures have been for residents and we are working more closely with all partners to ensure roads are reopened as quickly and safely as possible and that communication is clear and reliable as we make progress in our recovery.” as maintenance crews continue to assess and address storm-related damages to ensure road safety The reopening follows the previous night’s announcement that Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) had reopened to Palisades Fire-impacted residents For updates on road closures and reopenings residents can visit pw.lacounty.gov/roadclosures or follow @LACoPublicWorks on social media Former Palisades Resident Moved to the South Bay After Losing Home in Fire Braun Levi Health Officials Urge Residents to Get Vaccinated Amid Rising Infections  The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has declared.. Each station offers access to COVID-19 antigen test kits A public meeting to discuss the proposal and gather community feedback is scheduled for May 8 Santa Monica is preparing.. well-priced lots in desirable locations are finding buyers .. Displaced Families Are Reshaping Los Angeles’ Housing Market on the Westside Home sales and prices across Los Angeles surged in.. No injuries reported after unexpected landing in Pacific Palisades On Friday a Cessna 172  that was unable to complete its.. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and events in Santa Monica and the surrounding areas Junior Cookies has developed a loyal following in West Hollywood for its fresh Many teachers and parents hear this question daily when it comes to schooling: “When am I ever going to use.. I know this because 1) I'm an old and 2) fellow old Captain Cons alerted me this morning via text at 8:30 in the morning A time that dads know other dads have been awake for more than a couple hours to talk about some 90s sitcom podcast Quick sidenote Shawn Hunter had to be a Shawn So they are now in season 6 of the rewatch which means Rachel is in the fold They teased her appearance over the weekend and it did not disappoint They got into her story and how she went from doing shows into porn (yeah I didn't stutter) and her new career there But it was a simple question from Topanga that started this:  Topanga asked if Rachel (I know that's not their real names but it's what we know them as) hates them [Source] - “No because you wouldn’t speak to me on ‘Girl Meets World,’ and that was hurtful.” We've all played that hand before or seen someone play that hand before I should note this all stems from 2013 and Rachel noticing Topanga defriended her on Facebook Apparently that's a thing people care about Topanga says she has no idea how that even happened Tried to reach out to Rachel about it years ago let’s just save it for the podcast,'” and added that Ward said it would “rock the stats.”  That's something I expect a person in the views business to talk on a podcast like this It's only a great line because of how lame it is This is where we start to get into real life beef though Not just FaceBook beef and technology like most thing old people get mad about:  and I didn’t get it,” Ward said of her time on the Disney Channel spinoff “I didn’t know if you thought I was trying to steal attention… I was genuinely confused why we wouldn’t be good.” Nothing gets an argument started like trying to steal attention “You didn’t like the fact that I was getting a lot of attention at that time and going off in my own space and taking away that attention.” This is where it starts to get good though This is where the attack comes and you get a little personal Topanga accuses Rachel of wanting to only go for ratings You’re trying to go at me now to get the ratings because you know that people will be interested I just wanted to remember the good times.” Fishel responded “I’m not the one who wanted to go for ratings… This is what you asked for.” feels like an opportunity to grow Rachel's brand “Similarly to the way she decided when ‘Girl Meets World’ and all that stuff was in the press that that was an opportunity for her to make a name for herself in cosplay play and in role-playing she felt like this was an opportunity for her to get press by having conflict which I am just not your girl to do that,” Fishel said of the heated exchange “And she thought it was disingenuous for me to reach out to her I think wanting to do it for stats is disingenuous.” I also know there's a handful of people who aren't reading a word waiting for pictures.  Rivalry is officially on. Need another episode where they can really go at it and not hold back at all.  heavy rain and snow prompted several road closures across Southern California after the region saw its first rain of the year snow and icy conditions prompted the full closure of a portion of the 5 Freeway through the Grapevine overnight The closure was in effect from State Route 126 to the Kern County line due to hazardous road conditions according to the California Highway Patrol and the section of the freeway later fully reopened Topanga Canyon Boulevard was shut down in both directions between Pacific Coast Highway and Grand View Drive Sunday evening It remains closed indefinitely after the storm created a muddy mess Several inches of mud cover sections of the canyon road County Public Works and other utility crews are working on clearing the road and making repairs schools were closed Monday as a precaution because of difficult driving conditions Getting around from Malibu to the San Fernando Valley is going take longer because of the Topanga Canyon closure and the possibility of mud and debris flow on the other canyon roads The Cajon Pass was also impacted by the winter storm The rain also triggered mudslides in Woodland Hills Sunday causing several cars to become stuck in the mud along Alhama Drive Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a total of four cars The historic Topanga Ranch Motel, located across from Topanga Beach in Malibu, has been destroyed in the devastating Palisades Fire that began erupting across Los Angeles Tuesday and has so far scorched more than 27,000 acres across the region The fire fueled by extreme Santa Ana winds with gusts up to 80 mph "destroyed parts of Topanga State Park, including the historic Topanga Ranch Motel once owned by William Randolph Hearst," California State Parks News said in a news release Wednesday “California State Parks mourns the loss of these treasured natural and cultural resources and our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the devastating fires in the Los Angeles area,” State Parks Director Armando Quintero said in a statement Quintero added "all available resources" were being directed towards emergency response effort and the agency was "working to secure and protect as much as we can at affected nearby state parks." "We are deeply grateful to our parks staff and all partner agencies for their swift actions," Quintero said "Our top priority remains the safety of the public our employees and the responders bravely battling the fires.” Get weather and fire alerts via text: Sign up to get current wildfire updates by location  The Palisades Fire that erupted around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday destroyed the Topanga Ranch Motel as well as state park employee residences, according to California State Parks. It also singed Will Rogers’ historic ranch house and other historic buildings at nearby Will Rogers State Historic Park While a full assessment of the damages and losses isn’t immediately available the agency said there have been more than 30 structural losses at Topanga State Park and Will Rogers State Park The bungalow-style Topanga Ranch Motel was built by San Francisco native and millionaire mining engineer William Randolph Hearst in 1929 once housed Pacific Coast Highway construction workers and later offered an "inexpensive seaside holiday vacation retreat for families and writers," according to California State Parks The motel was also a popular location for film and television State Parks acquired the motel in 2001 and plans to restore 20 of the cabins for public use again were underway in recent years Other landmarks and historic sites damaged by the recent fires include Palisades Charter High School This story was updated to fix a misspelling Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7 Los Angeles Sheriff's Department captain of the Malibu/Lost Hills Station told LAist that the closure may be inconvenient for those who rely on the road but it could save lives when we have “hellacious” winds that may cast embers miles in front of a fire “One major road in and out of Topanga — we want to make sure that we keep it residents only to make sure that we can evacuate as [fast] as we can,” she said The backstory: These preparedness closures are new — it became a best practice after the devastating 2018 Woolsey Fire told LAist part of the fire’s after-action response was identifying high-risk areas that have a larger population He added that officials don’t take these decisions lightly What's next: The closures come during red flag warnings which Seetoo said we see approximately nine days out of the year we could also see closures for flooding or landslides Residents and commuters may have to wait months before Topanga Canyon Boulevard fully reopens as Caltrans officials reveal the extent of the damage caused by recent storms.  According to Caltrans spokeswoman Lauren Wonder the lower two miles of the roadway are in poor condition but the situation worsens significantly beyond that point “We have about nine different places where there are slides and three different locations that require retaining walls,” Wonder said. “Our goal over the next two and a half to three months is to clear the slides and restore two-way traffic control up to the point where the road has actually slipped out.” The most severe damage begins approximately two miles north of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) where sections of the roadway have been significantly compromised. “The guardrail is exposed and we need to build those retaining walls to provide support,” Wonder explained. “We aim to establish one-way traffic control through that section within the next few months to allow limited passage.” Caltrans has managed to create a rough one-lane road through the worst-hit area with school buses receiving escorted access to ensure Topanga Canyon students can reach Paul Revere Middle School and the temporary Palisades High School campus officials urge residents and commuters to remain patient and follow traffic advisories While crews are working as quickly as possible Topanga Canyon Boulevard may not see full restoration until summer Caltrans will provide updates as work progresses Southern California Edison has also begun the process of undergrounding utility lines (youtu.be/-f9eNIdb3QI) A group of Malibu residents are organizing a protest against the U.S Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) plan to use the former Malibu Ranch Motel site as a temporary hazardous waste collection site located at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Topanga Canyon Boulevard is set to facilitate the removal of hazardousmaterials from the Palisades Fire disaster zone Protesters argue that the EPA failed to provide advance notice and express concerns about potential environmental and health risks associated with the site’s operations The EPA’s initiative aims to safely collect and transport hazardous debris—such as propane tanks and other household chemicals—from the fire zone to designated hazardous waste disposal facilities in the desert. A similar protest is occurring in the San Gabriel Valley where residents of nearby cities are opposing a separate hazardous waste transfer station near the Eaton Fire zone in Azusa a site cleanup section manager for the EPA explained in a statment that the Topanga Beach site was selected due to its proximity to the burn area and sufficient space for handling hazardous materials is expected to be completed within 30 days—an accelerated timeline compared to the usual six months to a year for similar projects Concerns include potential environmental contamination increased truck traffic on Pacific Coast Highway and the impact on the nearby Topanga Lagoon Critics point out that while the EPA successfully conducted a similar operation in Lahaina the unique environmental sensitivities of Malibu warrant greater scrutiny has approved its temporary use without prior consultation with Malibu city officials or residents While the EPA has pledged to take strict safety measures many locals feel blindsided by the decision In response to public outcry, the City of Malibu released an official statement today, Friday, Jan. 31, at 1 p.m. addressing community concerns and outlining safety assurances from the EPA. The statement emphasizes that: Malibu officials also reassured residents that no additional hazardous waste staging sites would be established within city limits. However, they acknowledged frustration over the lack of prior consultation and pledged to advocate for increased transparency in future decisions affecting the community. Community members have organized a protest today, at 3 p.m. at the Topanga Beach site, demanding that the EPA find an alternative location or provide more robust environmental safeguards. Many argue that the site’s proximity to the ocean and local wildlife habitats makes it an unsuitable choice for even temporary hazardous waste handling. “I understand that the waste needs to be removed quickly, but this is a hasty decision made without community input,” said one Malibu resident. “We live in an environmentally sensitive area, and the risks are too great.” Despite assurances from the EPA, opposition to the site remains strong. The protest highlights broader concerns about environmental justice, transparency, and the long-term impact of hazardous waste management on coastal communities. As the cleanup process unfolds, the City of Malibu continues to monitor operations and engage with residents. Whether protests will impact the EPA’s plans remains uncertain, but the controversy underscores the delicate balance between disaster recovery efforts and community trust in environmental governance. 2024Save this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products and listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links but only one could match my fantasies (and budget): a sunny studio overlooking the picturesque surrounding mountains decorated in vintage finds sourced by the home’s owner had the perfect amount of kitsch—original wood-paneled walls and built-in shelves with assorted ephemera I found the unit looked as dreamy as it did in the listing The open floor plan came with a queen-size bed and a glass coffee table dotted with secondhand books including Pablo Capra’s Topanga Beach: A History 1820s-1920 and Mervyn Dykes's The Empty Eden and a screen door led to a idyllic covered terrace While the allure of a few air-conditioned hours reading on the sofa was tempting I found the shaded outdoor hammock just as pleasant The kitchen with a variety of cookbooks and vintage bowls The studio's record player and vinyl collection where I took advantage of the 36 miles of trails that wind through the Santa Monica Mountains My final morning I checked out early to peruse the Rose Bowl Flea in Pasadena an hour away. After 36 hours in this cozy cocoon, I was refreshed, rejuvenated, and relaxed—itching to get back in the mix. If my clear state of mind afterward didn't signal a great stay, my post-trip decision to move to LA certainly did. up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world In the controversial ‘Boy Meets World’ season 5 finale Topanga proposes to Cory and agrees to go to college with him ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty  ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Why now: The Southern California steelhead trout were successfully relocated to a Santa Barbara County stream on Monday The backstory: The fish survived the Palisades Fire but they faced localized extinction late last month as rain was about to wash suffocating sediment heavy materials and ash from burn-scarred Topanga Canyon into their habitat That amounted to more than half of the estimated population in the creek They were taken to the Fillmore Fish Hatchery Topanga Creek is home to the last SoCal steelhead in the Santa Monica Mountains What's next: Topanga Creek will continue to recover while the Southern California steelhead trout live in the wild Residents of Topanga Canyon are banding together to assist their community during the ongoing Palisades Fire A volunteer group calling themselves the Heat Hawks recently formed over a WhatsApp group chat and has been gathering supplies for firefighters and checking up on their community members “ We’re going to friends’ properties that needed checkups gathering valuables from homes from people that were concerned [like] people who were immobile and couldn't get out,” says volunteer Nick Burrell Residents near the Santa Monica Mountains have a history of helping formal agencies during crises local surfers collaborated with fire officials to form the Malibu Community Brigade Now that trained brigade is working with firefighters to protect structures and mop up hot spots so the pros can focus on the front lines The combination of formal and informal civilian brigades are providing necessary support on the ground officials don’t want too many civilians in the fire zone as it could impede firefighting efforts If you want to help, consider donating to the Community Brigade here so your donation is critical to KCRW's music programming Donate by midnight tomorrow and your $100 becomes $200 for KCRW thanks to a $10,000 match by music legend Moby DOuble dollars Get the latest from KCRW in your inbox 3x a week 2025 at 2:37 pm PT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Topanga Canyon Boulevard will be shut down between Pacific Coast Highway and Mulholland Drive for much of this week CA — As the region braces for dangerously dry and windy weather this week authorities plan to shut down Topanga Canyon Boulevard to most traffic in anticipation of Red Flag fire conditions Topanga Canyon Boulevard will be shut down between Pacific Coast Highway and Mulholland Drive from 10 a.m Only residents and local businesses will be allowed in the canyon Dangerous winds will heighten the chances for fast-spreading wildfires starting Tuesday and possibly lasting until Friday, according to the National Weather Service, which predicts Santa Ana wind gusts could reach speeds of 60 to 80 mph Red Flag warnings of critical fire danger will take effect at 4 a.m the Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The high wind advisory was canceled today by the National Weather Service at 4 p.m. The canyon was closed Wednesday through Thursday due to high winds and fire danger Motorist are advised to drive safely and do not throw lit objects from your vehicle 🚨 🚨 TOPANGA CANYON OPEN 🚨 🚨 The high wind advisory was canceled today by the National Weather Service at 4:00 PM Please drive safely and do not throw lit objects from your vehicle Per LA County Sheriff: High Wind Warning has been cancelled and Topanga Cyn Blvd has reopened to all traffic Road crews are continuing to clear a mudslide that blocked access to the historic Topanga Canyon outside Los Angeles following the devastating Palisades Fire last month The mudslide sloshed into the canyon early Jan. 27, forcing the closure of SR-27. Caltrans on Feb. 2 said the road would be closed indefinitely, and on Saturday, Feb. 8, announced that a stretch of Pacific Coast Highway Drone footage taken Friday also shows huge piles of mud covering Topanga Canyon Boulevard Caltrans noted that more storms are expected early next week and that debris basins that usually divert mudslides are already 80% full Video posted by the Caltrans agency shows stretches of the road covered in thick towering above the excavators removing blockages Caltrans workers used snowplows to push the mud off the roadway Even before the rains, rockslides loosed by the wildfire had tumbled onto the road. Experts had warned toxic mudslides posed a significant danger to the area following the fire because it destroyed the trees and vegetation holding down the canyon's soil and rocks "Initial inspections have found fire-related damage impacting many structures within state right-of-way and traffic control systems," Caltrans said in a statement "Caltrans is exploring options for limited access A similar landslide in March 2024 blocked the road for months Topanga Canyon's road connects the Pacific Coast Highway with the inland San Fernando Valley Among those who’ve called Topanga home or passed through are musicians and songwriters Neil Young star of "Doctor Odyssey," whose house burned down in the Palisades Fire 2024 at 4:56 pm PT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Topanga Canyon Boulevard fully reopened Thursday afternoon CA — Topanga Canyon Boulevard fully reopened to traffic Thursday after the wind died down though authorities warned that the danger of wildfires remains high The road was shut down to non-residents between Mulholland Drive and Pacific Coast Highway on Wednesday morning Authorities planned to reopen the road at 6 a.m but reopened it earlier after a Red Flag warning for the area was removed by the National Weather Service The CHP warned that fire risk in the mountains remains high and urged motorists not to throw lit objects Winds battered much of the region Wednesday with the National Weather Service reporting peak gusts in the mountains reaching 75 to 85 mph The wind speeds tapered off as evening fell Wednesday although gusts still reached up to 60 mph in the mountains The winds picked up speed again Thursday morning although falling slightly short of Wednesday's levels Humidity was expected to drop to 10 percent Thursday Southern California Edison is implementing so-called Public Safety Power Shutoffs where the utility cuts power to certain areas during fire-weather conditions to prevent its equipment from sparking flames That includes the Malibu area and parts of the Santa Monica Mountains Malibu continues to recover from the Broad Fire, which burned 50 acres and destroyed three buildings Wednesday as firefighters continue to battle the Mountain Fire in the Camarillo area The fire forced 10,000 to evacuate and had grown to 14,500 acres Thursday morning. Iconic PCH Restaurant Takes Heavy Damage During Mudslides Pacific Coast Highway has partially reopened following the Palisades Fire and subsequent mudslides but access remains restricted to emergency responders buried under debris flows earlier in the week is now open to a single lane with a 25 mph speed limit Traffic signals in the affected area are flashing red as cleanup efforts continue The stretch of PCH between Santa Monica and Malibu had already been closed due to the fire when heavy rain triggered landslides leaving Topanga Canyon Boulevard covered in several feet of mud Utility poles and road signs were partially buried The mudslides have pushed back the reopening of Duke’s Malibu the beloved beachfront restaurant that had miraculously survived the Palisades Fire only to suffer extensive damage during the storm In a Valentine’s Day update on Instagram the restaurant reassured the community that no one was inside at the time of the disaster “We have been closed since January 7th and all of our ‘ohana is safe,” the statement read “The cleanup effort will be extensive but we look forward to the day we can be open for our community Mahalo for the outpouring of support we have received during this time.” vice president of operations for TS Restaurants “Within literally a matter of minutes the entire parking lot—full of mud and debris,” Morgan said Duke’s employs approximately 132 staff members many of whom are now out of work as the restaurant assesses the damage and begins the recovery process Closures Run From Mulholland Drive to Pacific Coast Highway Topanga Canyon Boulevard will be closed to non-residents from Mulholland Drive to Pacific Coast Highway starting Wednesday as a precautionary measure due to expected high winds and extreme fire danger Officials advise drivers to seek alternate routes during this time According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) this is a “soft closure,” meaning residents with proof of residence or a Topanga Resident Access Card will be allowed through Southern California Edison (SCE) is also considering Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) for parts of Malibu, where high winds could increase the risk of wildfires. Residents can check outage updates at SCE.com/PSPS The City of Malibu makes the following recommendations for residents: Create a profile in the City’s Everbridge Disaster Notification system at MalibuCity.org/DisasterNotifications (most cell phone numbers and landlines in Malibu are automatically entered but you can create a profile to add additional contact information and make sure your street address is correct which helps with evacuation notifications) The City of Malibu will post all emergency information on its website at MalibuCity.org/alerts Residents can sign up for local emergency alerts from the City at MalibuCity.org/alerts and from Los Angeles County at ready.lacounty.gov/alerts Rider Strong and Will Friedle felt the 1998 episode should have focused more on Fishel's character Print The Western population of the monarch butterfly has declined to a near-record low with fewer than 10,000 found living in California this winter a foreboding sign for the future of the beloved black-and-orange insect An annual count recorded 9,119 butterflies this winter, according to results released by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. This is the second-lowest population recorded since tracking began in 1997. An all-time low of fewer than 2,000 monarchs was recorded in 2020. The society said these numbers underscored the importance of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s new proposal to list the butterfly as a federally endangered species. Federal wildlife officials on Tuesday proposed protecting the striking long-distance migrators under the Endangered Species Act after dramatic population drops The butterfly’s Western population has plummeted more than 95% since the 1980s when as many as 4 million butterflies were estimated to spend winter in California according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that the Western population faces a 99% chance of extinction by 2080 pesticides and extreme weather fluctuation due to climate change are to blame for the butterfly’s decline This year’s particularly poor showing can also be attributed to an usually hot and dry fall which probably slowed butterfly breeding and the metamorphosis of caterpillars into butterflies an endangered species biologist with the Xerces Society The recent Los Angeles-area wildfires damaged tree groves where these butterflies live including a habitat in Lower Topanga Canyon where more than 100 butterflies were recorded in last year’s count Another alarming finding was made at a site in Santa Barbara County where only 198 were recorded this year after 33,200 monarchs were found there last winter The count is conducted by about 400 volunteers at 257 sites along California’s coastline and Baja California where the Western monarch population gathers to pass winter before fanning out across the West from Arizona to Idaho in spring The Eastern monarch population — which has decreased more than 80% since the 1980s — spends winters in the mountains of central Mexico and warm months in the eastern half of the United States This year’s Western monarch count marks a sharp decline from the last three years when more than 200,000 Western monarchs were recorded each year But even counts in the 200,000 range mark a dangerous decrease from the millions of butterflies observed in the 1980s that scientists considered a stable population level “Insect populations commonly fluctuate from year to year,” according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife “The overall downward trend remains concerning particularly if the threats are not ameliorated.” The monarch butterfly was first petitioned to be listed under the federal Endangered Species Act in 2014, but that effort was shelved due to more urgent population priorities. In December, the U.S. agency released a proposal to list the butterfly as an endangered species “The iconic monarch butterfly is cherished across North America captivating children and adults throughout its fascinating lifecycle like many things in nature when we just give them a chance,” Martha Williams then-director of the Fish and Wildlife Service “Science shows that the monarch needs that chance.” The service also has proposed designating 4,395 acres as critical habitat for the Western monarch population across Alameda Santa Cruz and Ventura counties to help support population regrowth The agency will be accepting public comments on the proposed threatened species designation until March 12 and make a final decision by the end of the year In addition to supporting the designation, the Xerces Society is urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to take into account the effect of pesticides on butterflies before approving the products for market. Currently, the only insect included in the EPA’s required pesticide testing is the adult honeybee. Testing by the Xerces Society and the University of Nevada in Reno in 2019 found that milkweed leaves, the main food source for the monarch caterpillar, were contaminated by 64 pesticides. One of these pesticides, methoxyfenozide, was found in 96% of milkweed samples, but it is allowed to be used under current pesticide regulations because it is not toxic to bees. “We know pesticides are a key driver of monarch and other pollinator declines. Yet there are glaring gaps in the EPA’s oversight of pesticides: the vast majority of pesticides have never been tested for their impacts on butterflies,” Rosemary Malfi, director of conservation policy at the Xerces Society, said in a statement. “How can we protect these essential species if we’re missing the basic information needed to make better decisions?” Clara Harter is a breaking news reporter at the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she covered politics and education for the L.A. Daily News. While at the Daily News, she published a series on fentanyl addiction that won a first-place investigative journalism award from the L.A. Press Club. Harter majored in political science and Middle Eastern studies at Columbia University. She loves surfing and, when not reporting, can most likely be found in the ocean. World & Nation TOPANGA, Calif. — In the storied Topanga Canyon off the Pacific Coast Highway, meditation teacher Seth Monk helped distribute coffee, gas and propane to residents who remained despite evacuation orders. The narrow canyon community sits between the blaze burning in Pacific Palisades and Malibu which Monk said “looked like a volcano” last week Although the fires had calmed Monday, people are anxiously watching the weather and wind for fear sparks could reignite mixing with longtime-resident hippies and people who have fled the urban sprawl of downtown Los Angeles Get weather and fire alerts via text: Sign up to get current wildfire updates by location Among those who’ve called Topanga home or passed through are musicians and songwriters Neil Young, Jim Morrison and Danny Elfman, along with actor Joshua Jackson, star of "Doctor Odyssey," whose house burned down last week Six blazes erupted across LA since Tuesday, obliterating neighborhoods and leaving a trail of destruction. At least 24 people died Three of the six fires remained active on Monday including the Palisades Fire that devastated Topanga The Santa Ana winds are expected to fan wildfire flames through Wednesday with possible gusts of 30-50 mph Monk said the clear blue skies above are a cause for optimism even though the wind was rustling oak leaves and palm branches near the Topanga Public Library “The feeling is that we’re are the tail end of it and yet because there so much dry fuel between us and the fire and the wind is picking up it is possible the fire could come back,” he said as grateful residents poured oat milk into organic coffee provided by donors “The situation appears to be getting better.” See all the latest news on the wildfires: LA winds to intensify; officials 'grid-searching' for remains of victims killed