Malibu fire update 8 a.m. Tuesday
The Local Assistance Center for fire victims is open this week at Malibu Bluffs Park. State and county officials are there “to provide a single place for victims of the wildfires to get help in starting the recovery process,” according to a press release. The city’s emergency preparedness coordinator, Brad Davis, said yesterday that nobody is coming to the center, so it could close before the end of the week.
The center is open from approximately 7:30 a.m. to approximately 7:30 p.m., but the hours of operation are subject to change.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced that residents and business owners who sustained losses in the fire can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.FEMA.gov or by calling 800.621.FEMA. More information on fire damage repair can be found on the city’s Web site, http://www.malibu-ca.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=detailgroup&navid=256&cid=11231.
All roads in Malibu are open. Webster Elementary School and Our Lady of Malibu Catholic School reopened yesterday. The phone system is not working at either school. Cell phones are being used to receive calls from parents. The temporary phone numbers for Webster are 310.919.7960 and 310.863.5851. Parents can also call the school district to reach Webster at 310.450.8338 ext. 220 or ext. 240. The temporary phone number for Our Lady of Malibu was not released to The Malibu Times.
Power was restored to the entire city Thursday at 3:30 a.m. Charter Communication’s cable service is also working throughout the city as of Friday.
The Canyon Fire is 100 percent contained as of sundown Wednesday. The blaze scorched 4,565 acres and cost $5.2 million to extinguish.
Malibu Canyon Road has reopened.
Although the fire is contained, Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Andrew Olvera said that there are still some “small smoldering piles” in the Rambla Pacifico area.
“We’re going to have crews here up to two weeks from now patrolling and working the area,” Olvera said on Wednesday.
The fire destroyed six homes, Malibu Presbyterian Church, Malibu Glass and Mirror, the trailer at Malibu Colony Plaza, three sheds at Webster and the Our Lady of Malibu computer lab. Thirteen homes were damaged, as well as six commercial businesses, three outbuildings and two classrooms at Our Lady of Malibu.