Wealthy California Town Declares Emergency Over Homeless Camps
Malibu declared a local emergency to expedite homeless encampment removals as wildfire risks intensify, with vegetation moisture dropping to 63% in the still-recovering coastal city.
The city council voted unanimously to approve the emergency measure after live vegetation moisture levels dropped below the 65% threshold that officials designate as hazardous fire conditions, according to Ross O’Keefe writing in New York Post. The most recent vegetation sample registered 63% fuel moisture, down from 67% in the previous measurement.
When live fuel moisture falls below 60%, vegetation can ignite and burn with the same intensity as dead brush, creating catastrophic fire conditions. Officials warned that homeless encampments significantly increase this already elevated fire risk.
Mayor Bruce Silverstein defended the action as a necessary safety measure. Declaring a local emergency provides an important proactive measure to reduce wildfire risk, he said, emphasizing the need to protect lives and property as peak fire season approaches.
Emergency Powers Override State Regulations
The declaration grants Malibu authority to bypass California’s normally stringent requirements for notifying homeless populations before clearing encampments. Under standard state law, cities must provide extensive advance notice before removing makeshift dwellings. The emergency order allows officials to conduct clean-up operations within 24 hours.
The expedited removals will focus specifically on areas designated as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, where the combination of dry conditions and human activity poses the greatest threat.
Homeless Population Down Sharply
Malibu’s 2026 homeless count identified approximately 27 individuals living in 16 makeshift structures across the city. This represents a substantial decline from 46 homeless people in 2025 and 157 in 2021.
The emergency declaration will remain in effect until three conditions are met: the city receives at least 2 inches of rain, live fuel moisture rebounds to 80% or higher, and no Fire Weather Watches or Red Flag Warnings have been issued for two consecutive weeks or appear in extended forecasts.
Still Reeling From January Devastation
The Palisades Fire tore through Malibu in January 2025, leaving widespread destruction across the beachside community home to billionaires and Hollywood celebrities. Coastal properties were obliterated, and human remains were discovered in at least one home destroyed by the flames.
Recovery efforts have been painfully slow. Bureaucratic red tape and soaring construction costs have forced many property owners to abandon rebuilding plans and simply sell their lots. Those who have managed to begin reconstruction report spending roughly a year navigating permitting obstacles before breaking ground.
With information from New York Post
