Jerry Vandermeulen says that residents now need to stay ready for fires year-round

When Jerry Vandermeulen became Malibu’s first fire safety liaison in 2019, the idea of a “fire season” still carried weight. Residents braced for the late summer and fall months when Santa Ana winds could whip a spark into a citywide disaster. Today, Vandermeulen says, that framing no longer applies.

“Fire season is pretty much all year-round,” said Vandermeulen, who serves as one of three part-time Malibu fire safety liaisons. “A few years ago, we had a lot of rain and moisture in the chaparral. But now we’re in another drought situation. Fires can occur all year-round.”

Still, he noted, October and November remain the most dangerous months, when Santa Ana winds — blowing out of inland valleys — become “the game changer when it comes to wildfires.”

With 35 years of firefighting under his belt, serving with Kern and Ventura County fire departments, Vandermeulen has watched residents grow more engaged in wildfire preparation since the Woolsey Fire. He stressed that “ember hardening” homes — installing ember-resistant vents, clearing the first five feet around structures, and upgrading roofing — is critical. But he says it’s not enough for one household to act alone. “If one person does ember hardening and their neighbor doesn’t, their house can be just as susceptible as if they never did it. I’ve seen homes with everything done right still lost because the houses next door were not prepared.”

That’s where the Firewise program, explained in The Malibu Times last week, comes in, encouraging neighbors to coordinate mitigation efforts together.

Still, Vandermeulen urges Malibu residents to stay ready year-round by keeping “go bags” at the ready to be filled with medication, important documents, and pet supplies. Maintain vehicles with enough fuel or charge for a quick escape. Have at least two planned exit routes because you may not know in advance where a fire is coming from. Set up out-of-town contacts and monitor disasters on apps such as Watch Duty or Pulse Point. And in an evacuation, the fire expert stressed, “Leave early. If you wait too long, your exit route may be blocked off. Once emergency vehicles are trying to come in while people are still trying to get out, it creates chaos.”

Vandermeulen addressed the debate that divides many in the firefighting community, and a recent shift in messaging by Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone. On a Sept. 2 CBS television broadcast, Marrone acknowledged that in a major conflagration, firefighting resources may never be sufficient to protect every home, as was seen in the Woolsey, Palisades, and Eaton fires. On the broadcast, Marrone stated, “We’ve always told people that when the evacuation order comes, you must leave. We’ve departed from that narrative. With the proper training, with the proper equipment, and with the proper home hardening and defensible space, you can stay behind and prevent your house from burning down. There simply aren’t enough firefighters or engines to defend every home.”

It’s an approach Vandermeulen doesn’t agree with, countering, “We don’t recommend that people do that as individuals. I get the idea in concept. However, there’s a couple of problems with it, and one thing that people may be using as a justification is we do have some community fire brigades now, which did an outstanding job during the Palisades Fire and the Franklin Fire, but the thing with them is that they’ve received some training. They are endorsed and backed by the LA County Fire Department. They’re trained. They have what we call PPE or personal protective equipment. They work together and they have a leader that has communications with somebody on the incident so there’s accountability for where they’re at and what’s going on, and where they’re allowed to go and where they can’t go, so that’s different from somebody staying by themselves. A lot of times, you think you’re good until you’re not good, and once a wildland fire goes from a wildland fire into homes, it becomes what we call an urban conflagration, and it gets hotter. It gets more intense, and then one house goes to two homes, and it just grows and grows, and it just becomes untenable and unsafe to be there. If you’ve never experienced or faced it firsthand, it’s pretty scary. It’s pretty overwhelming.”

Vandermeulen concluded, “We want to hit home that we’re all a part of being prepared. We encourage residents to be proactive. Make defensible space, do home hardening and have a plan.”

City volunteers and officials engage beachgoers in friendly conversations to raise awareness about safe driving, encouraging visitors to slow down, enjoy the views, and get home safely

The City of Malibu launched its “Big Blue Beach Crawl for PCH Safety” over Labor Day weekend, welcoming beachgoers with an important message: slow down, enjoy the views, and get home safely. The outreach event brought city staff, volunteers, and community members together—not to clean the beaches, but to connect directly with visitors and residents about safe driving on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH).

Malibu Mayor Marianne Riggins emphasized that the event was focused on education, aiming to increase awareness of roadway safety as the city wrapped up the busy summer season.

“It wasn’t a beach cleanup — it was more an education project,” Riggins explained. “The plan was to actually connect with beachgoers and talk to them about safety on PCH and safety when they’re coming out to enjoy Malibu’s beaches. We want people to be aware of their travel plans, stay mindful on the road, and, most importantly, make sure they get home safe.”

The Big Blue Beach Crawl is part of the city’s broader “Slow Down for PCH” campaign, which encourages safe driving through education, signage, and community engagement. With millions of visitors traveling into Malibu each year, the city faces ongoing challenges in balancing tourism with safety on one of California’s most iconic highways. PCH, while scenic, has also been the site of tragic accidents. Riggins acknowledged that eliminating deaths and serious injuries along the route remains a top priority for city leaders.

“We want to eliminate fatalities on PCH if possible,” Riggins said. “People can do that by following the rules of the road — observing the speed limit, not making unsafe U-turns, being cautious around pedestrians, and remembering that everyone is coming out here to enjoy our public spaces.”

By meeting people “where they’re at”— on the sand and at the shoreline — the city hoped to make its safety message more approachable. Volunteers spent the day walking the beaches, engaging in friendly conversations, and distributing information to remind drivers that the road into Malibu is as much a part of the coastal experience as the surf and sand. Riggins noted that the response from beachgoers was overwhelmingly positive.

“It was a gorgeous day, and people were open to talking,” she said. “The feedback was great — very positive interactions with people, just talking, having a good time, and meeting people where they’re at.”

Although the mayor was unable to stay for the entirety of the event due to other commitments, she underscored the importance of the city’s ongoing efforts to spread awareness and promote roadway safety. While no immediate plans for another Beach Crawl have been announced, Riggins encouraged residents and visitors to stay connected with city staff for future updates.

“If you contact Richard Rojas or Susan Duenas at the city, they can let you know if another one is scheduled,” she said. “This one really tied into the end of the official summer season, with Labor Day being such a high-traffic holiday.”

As Malibu continues to draw visitors year-round, the city remains committed to creating safer conditions on PCH. Events like the Big Blue Beach Crawl are just one piece of the puzzle, alongside enforcement, infrastructure improvements, and public education campaigns. For Riggins, the message is clear: Malibu is a destination for all to enjoy, but safety must come first.

“Everybody wants to come to Malibu, and we want to make sure they don’t hurt us and that they get home safely,” she said. “It’s really about awareness — slowing down, following the rules of the road, and remembering that this community is home to families, children, and neighbors, not just a place to visit for the day.”

The mayor also expressed appreciation for the community’s role in helping amplify the city’s message.

“We truly appreciate everything people are doing to get the word out,” she said. “At the end of the day, we all want what’s best for the community, and it shows in different ways. Events like this help us remind people that safety is something we can all work toward together.”

While the Big Blue Beach Crawl may have been just one afternoon of outreach, the effort reflects Malibu’s ongoing dedication to keeping PCH safe for residents and visitors alike. By blending education with community spirit, the city is making sure that the beauty of Malibu’s beaches can be enjoyed without tragedy on the roads that lead to them.

“Malibu is a special place,” Riggins said. “We want everyone to enjoy it, but we also want them to remember to drive safely. That way, we can all share the beauty of this community — and make sure everyone gets home to their loved ones.”