Tag: fires

HOLLYWOOD HILLS—On Wednesday, March 11, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced that Jovan Lamar Duverne, 39, has been charged with two murders and multiple counts of felony arson after allegedly setting a series of fires across Hollywood, including a blaze at a home that killed two elderly sisters.

Duverne is charged in case 26CJCF01508 with two counts of murder and 11 counts of felony arson. He faces a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, as well as sentence enhancements related to a prior arson conviction, including a second-strike allegation. His arraignment is scheduled for March 11 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. He is being held without bail.

Between January 26 and February 4 Duverne allegedly set fires at 10 locations in Hollywood, using a handheld torch-style lighter. He allegedly walked between locations lighting rubbish and attempting to enter buildings.

On February 4, around 2 a.m., the suspect allegedly set fire to a residence, which resulted in the deaths of two sisters, Maria Del Consuelo Alarcon-Valdez, 76, and Yolanda Honda, 82. Duverne was arrested later that day near Hollywood Boulevard and Wilton Place.

If convicted as charged, he faces up to death or life in state prison without the possibility of parole. A decision on the death penalty will be made at a later date.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Paul Przelomiec of the Arson and Explosives Section and remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division, with assistance from the Los Angeles City Fire Department’s Arson Counter Terrorism Section.

 

By Danny Jones

MALIBU—The city of Malibu announced on its website May 20 that it is reminding homeowners of the upcoming deadline for mandatory brush clearance.

Malibu’s Public Safety Department is reminding all homeowners that June 1 is the deadline for annual brush clearance around their properties. It is part of the city’s annual fire prevention efforts to decrease the risk of wildfires as the city approaches the summer season.

“The devastating Woolsey Fire must always serve as a reminder that we all have to be prepared for the next big wildfire, and doing proper brush clearance is a big part of that,” said Mayor Steve Uhring. “If you have not yet completed your brush clearance and need help or information, please contact our Fire Safety Liaisons, we are here to help you.”

On June 1, local Los Angeles County Fire Department engine companies begin conducting annual mandatory brush clearance inspections in the city of Malibu. Property owners are strongly asked to come into compliance as soon as possible, both to avoid fines and to protect their homes, their neighbors’ homes, and their community.

Brush clearance is a shared responsibility for all property owners in High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. The entirety of Malibu is in a High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Such measures help create the “defensible space” that firefighters need to effectively protect life, property, and the environment. Properties with good defensible space may require no or minimal intervention during a wildfire and stand the best chance of survival.

The Brush Clearance Program is a joint effort between the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the County of Los Angeles Department of Agricultural Commissioner Weights and Measures, Weed Hazard and Pest Abatement Bureau. The unified enforcement effort have the ability to declare both improved and unimproved properties a public nuisance and, where necessary, require the clearance of hazardous vegetation. Non-compliant properties may be subject to a County administrative fine of $500 and/or a non-compliance fee of $648, to be assessed on the property tax bill.

In conjunction with annual brush clearance, Malibu homeowners may sign up for a free Home Wildfire Assessment. This service includes a home inspection by one of the City’s Fire Safety Liaisons who will point out vulnerabilities and offer the homeowner a no-obligation checklist. The checklist often includes simple and inexpensive steps that can prevent flying embers from igniting a home during a wildfire, a leading cause of homes catching fire and burning down during wind-driven wildfires. Malibu has conducted nearly 500 Assessments since the program was launched in 2019.

For more details including a list of vendors, maps, a video and more, visit the LA County Fire Department website.

To schedule a Home Wildfire Assessment, contact the Fire Safety Liaisons at 310-456-2489 or email: FireSafety@malibucity.org.

By Trevor