Malibu residents and businesses are very hard hit by this fire disaster and its aftermath. We are also frustrated with the response and support we are getting. On Nextdoor [a social media website], I see suggestions of recalls and “impeachment.” I don’t think that throwing out the government now is going to give us the answers and actions we need right away; it will waste precious time the city needs to focus on helping us recover.
Instead, let’s demand that our council, city staff, sheriff and fire department be real leaders now. This means giving the community frank, honest answers about what went wrong, helping us recover and keeping us safe in the next disaster. Now is the time to make sure that they do a complete evaluation of what happened, why and what the city should do about it going forward. If the answers to critical questions are not forthcoming, then the people of Malibu should demand that a grand jury is convened to do a full independent review and make recommendations.
The city, the fire department, the sheriff and water district have all tried to explain and defend what they decided. However, they did not acknowledge the consequences of their decisions. The evacuation plan was poorly executed and forced evacuees into a massive traffic jam in two lanes all going east, with billowing clouds of smoke following. This was a seven-hour, two lane traffic jam, with no visible sheriff management. With the fire moving both east and west, thousands of people feared being overtaken by the fires moving toward Malibu Canyon. It is time for the sheriff to recognize that this was a potentially disastrous decision, made worse by the lack of personnel to make the evacuation work. What is the sheriff and the city going to do to make sure that this doesn’t happen again?
Many people staying in the neighborhoods affected by the fire have reported the same thing: There were few or no fire resources where they were, few planes dropping water and fire retardant during the firestorm, too few fire trucks to put out hot spots after the firestorm and not enough water.
At a council meeting, the LA County Fire Department explained they had already sent trucks and personnel up to the Camp Fire, and the resources from outside LA County that normally support us in a fire were going north, too. They explained that saving lives is more important than saving properties, and that the Camp Fire threatened many lives, which turned out to be too true. However, California has been having multiple deadly fires across the state at the same time. Why didn’t the LA County fire chief tell the city that this was possible? If he had, Malibu could have had a plan in place to supplement state and county resources in disasters.
Here are some other questions that need honest answers:
What happened to our water storage? Why were some water storage tanks empty, as reported on the news? Who checks them? Does the city, waterworks and the fire department do a routine check of water storage with the responsible disaster response personnel?
Why weren’t our great local fire personnel involved in directing those fire personnel who came from far away to places they did not know?
Why did the sheriff’s department treat brave people who stayed and fought the fire as interlopers who were in the way? These people not only defended their own homes, but also saved many other homes where there were few, if any, fire trucks in place. I admit that some didn’t know what they were doing, and could have endangered themselves and others. Nevertheless, many did know what they were doing, had fought many fires and had made preparations.
Why, after the peak of the fire ended in Malibu, did the sheriff prohibit more convoys of essential fuel and food to those who stayed? Why can Pepperdine shelter students in place while rest of Malibu doesn’t have that choice?
Why can’t we have a local volunteer fire department? They can get training, safe personal equipment and be certified as qualified by the Fire Department. Why can’t the county and Malibu purchase extra trucks for volunteer firefighters? Volunteer fire departments are recognized and respected all over America. Surely, Malibu can support this.
Why has it taken so long for the Hazardous Materials Team (HAZMAT) to get to Malibu? Structural fire debris is toxic. The city and county should ask the South Coast Air Quality Management District to monitor carbon particulates, and specific toxins that burn in structural fires. The hazard levels should be reported to the community through alerts. Especially during debris removal, it is the council’s responsibility to make sure air quality information is available to tell us when to stop outside physical activity and when to stay indoors with the windows shut.
Recovery from this disaster has only begun. If the city doesn’t do a better job of leading on recovering than the agencies did during disaster response, it will change our community forever. You are the elected leaders we depend on. Now, lead.
Madelyn Glickfeld
Former California Coastal Commissioner, LA Regional Water Quality Control Board member