Malibu officials declared a local emergency this week to speed up the removal of homeless encampments as vegetation across the Santa Monica Mountains grows dangerously dry heading into peak wildfire season.
The Malibu City Council voted unanimously on Aug. 10 to approve the declaration after Live Fuel Moisture readings dropped below the 65 percent threshold the council uses to define hazardous fire conditions. The entire city sits within a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and the emergency status gives officials broader authority to clear unpermitted camps that could spark or fuel fires.
Why Moisture Levels Matter
Live Fuel Moisture measures the water content in living plants and serves as one of the primary gauges fire agencies use to assess wildfire danger. The Los Angeles County Fire Department collects fuel samples every two weeks, and once moisture content drops to around 60 percent, vegetation begins to burn much like dead fuel, raising the odds of fast-moving, destructive fires. The most recent sample came back at 63 percent, down from 67 percent in the prior reading, prompting the city's declaration once levels crossed its 65 percent trigger point.Mayor Bruce Silverstein framed the move as a preventive step. "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," Silverstein said.
Faster Removal Process
Under normal circumstances, state law requires an extended notification period before encampments can be cleared, but the emergency declaration allows the city to complete removals within a single day. City officials described the approach as pairing enforcement with continued outreach and housing assistance for people experiencing homelessness.That strategy appears to be reducing the number of unhoused residents in the coastal city. The 2026 Homeless Count tallied 27 individuals and 16 dwellings—including tents, vehicles and makeshift shelters—the lowest figure since Malibu began tracking the population in 2016, the city said. That represents a steep drop from 46 counted in 2025, 69 in 2024, 71 in 2023, 81 in 2022 and 157 in 2021. The city credited its Homeless Outreach Team, run by The People Concern, with connecting residents to permanent housing, temporary placements and family reunification services.
Beyond the emergency period, Malibu has continued year-round encampment clearances in partnership with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, removing 44 encampments in both 2025 and 2024 and 29 in 2023.
How Long It Will Last
The emergency declaration will stay in place through the dangerous fire season until three conditions are met: the city receives at least two inches of rain, Live Fuel Moisture climbs back to 80 percent or higher, and no Fire Weather Watches or Red Flag Warnings have been issued—or are forecast—for a two-week stretch. City officials are urging residents and business owners to monitor fire conditions through local news and the Watch Duty app, prepare evacuation plans, stock emergency supplies, and sign up for city and county emergency alerts.Last year, the 2025 Palisades Fire burned 23,707 acres across the Palisades and Malibu areas before eventually being fully contained, according to the City of Malibu’s incident information
archive. Cal Fire confirmed that 6,831 structures were destroyed and 973 were damaged across the affected area, while the city listed 720 damaged or destroyed structures within Malibu.
