Date: March 10, 2025
District: District 7 (Los Angeles and Ventura counties)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Los Angeles — Caltrans, in consultation with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, local agencies and law enforcement, will be closing a segment of Pacific Coast Highway/State Route 1 to residents and businesses in burn scar areas due to safety concerns from the incoming storm beginning Wednesday, March 12 at noon. Only emergency vehicles will be allowed through the closure. Residents with homes in the burn scar area should consider alternate routes in the afternoon hours or consider teleworking if possible.
The forecasted thunderstorms and rain of up to an inch per hour could result in heavy downpours that can cause debris basins to overflow, especially on Wednesday evening.
Caltrans and its partners will reassess the situation on Thursday to determine if the highway may reopen to residents and businesses with passes by Friday, March 14 for the 6 a.m. morning commute, if not earlier. This is dependent on the extent of the storm and resulting impacts of any debris flows.
Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department is distributing burn area access passes for Malibu, Sunset Mesa, Topanga Canyon and unincorporated LA County residents and contractors hired by residents in the burn area only. Those can be picked up from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Santa Monica College-Malibu Interpretive Center,23555 Civic Center Way, Malibu on Tuesdays and Thursdays or at Malibu City Hall, 23825 Stuart Ranch Road, Malibu on Saturdays. More information and restrictions can be found at malibucity.org. Pacific Palisades and all Palisades Fire-impacted residents can pick up access passes at the Disaster Recovery Center at 10850 Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department notes that eligibility for business passes will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis at the pass center. Eligible businesses may include brick-and-mortar businesses, caretakers, healthcare workers, grocery workers, babysitters, contractors, insurance adjusters and damage mitigation companies. Applicants must apply in person. No vetting will be conducted over the phone or online.
We thank our partners in the city and county of Los Angeles, the city of Malibu, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, the Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, California National Guard, California Highway Patrol, Los Angeles City Department of Water and Power, Environmental Protection Agency and others for their continued efforts to keep PCH and the surrounding areas safe.
Please visit ca.gov/LAfires for recovery resources and information.