SANTA MONICA—On Saturday, January 18, the city of Santa Monica announced on its website that it was lifting of all evacuation zones within city limits, following increased containment of the Palisades Fire throughout the week.
Evacuation lifted: All areas of Santa Monica north of San Vicente Boulevard. All evacuated residents may return. This area was previously under an Evacuation Warning.
With the evacuation warning lifted in the area north of San Vicente, the 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew for the evacuation warning area in Santa Monica is also lifted. A curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. remains in areas of Los Angeles city and county where an evacuation order or warning remains in place.
The Santa Monica Police Department lifted all local street closure points but continues to remain vigilant in previously evacuated areas. If you see anything suspicious or disturbing should call 911 immediately for life-threatening emergencies, or (310) 458-8491 for all other issues.
Pacific Coast Highway, or PCH, in Santa Monica is now accessible for local residents, businesses and patrons. Closure points on Moomat Ahiko Way and the California Incline have been opened. Access to PCH and the city of Los Angeles north of the Santa Monica city limits is being managed by the Los Angeles Police Department. For the latest information on evacuation zones north of Santa Monica, please visit Palisades Fire | Los Angeles Fire Department.
The I-10 Freeway remains closed past Lincoln Boulevard per California Highway Patrol until further notice. If driving to Santa Monica, exit at Lincoln or Cloverfield boulevards or Centinela Avenue.
All businesses on the Santa Monica Pier and along PCH within the city of Santa Monica are now accessible and welcoming customers. The Annenberg Community Beach House will reopen beginning Thursday, January 23 and will have previously scheduled maintenance closures on January 27 and January 28.
Santa Monica’s Emergency Operations Center moved into a monitoring position as the Palisades Fire emergency response shifts toward regional recovery.
As of January 18, the National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch for the region with potential Red Flag Warning conditions beginning Monday, January 20, through Tuesday, January 21.
Santa Monica’s Emergency Order prohibits all outdoor burning once a Red Flag Warning is issued. This includes, but is not limited to:
-The use of wood-burning fire pits or stoves.
-Bonfires, recreational fires and open burning of any kind.
-Outdoor grilling using charcoal or wood. (Gas or propane grills are permitted but must be used with extreme caution and away from flammable materials.)
To report prohibited behavior call Non-Emergency Fire Dispatch at (310) 458-8660.
The Emergency Order also addresses local impacts, protects against future fire danger and assists in regional recovery, including housing support, fighting price gouging and business recovery.
The Consumer Protection Unit of the Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office is actively investigating reports of suspected price gouging in the city and educating local businesses and property owners on the law.
To assist with housing, Santa Monica’s Emergency Order has temporarily suspended enforcement of laws prohibiting short-term rentals and leases of less than one year when rented to households displaced by the regional fires to allow them to find temporary places to stay.
The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health has issued guidance on safe cleanup, air quality precautions, and ocean water quality. Find the latest information here.
Santa Monica’s tap water is safe to drink. Anyone who gets their water serviced through LADWP, call 1-800-DIAL-DWP for official information.
The FEMA westside Local Assistance and Disaster Recovery Center is located at UCLA Research Park West, 10850 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, and open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For more details about donations and the latest on city recovery resources and continued Palisades Fire updates, visit Santamonica.gov.
By Trevor