Palisades Fire Updates

January 7, 2025 2:24 PM
by City of Santa Monica

Last updated Jan. 16, 2025, at 9:25 a.m. Please check back for updates.

Santa Monica’s Emergency Operations Center has moved into a monitoring position as the Palisades Fire emergency response shifts toward regional recovery. The city will continue to support the evacuation warning area north of San Vicente Boulevard until it is lifted, as well as our neighbors to the north in response and recovery efforts.

Thank you to all city departments who have been involved in the emergency operations efforts for keeping our community safe.

And thank you to the community for following evacuation warnings and orders, staying informed through official channels and showing so much generosity to those affected. That support will be especially important as residents in our neighboring communities, many of whom have connections to Santa Monica, begin to recover and rebuild.

For recovery resources, please visit recovery.lacounty.gov.

The FEMA westside Local Assistance and Disaster Recovery Center is located at UCLA Research Park West, 10850 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, and open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Most city of Santa Monica services are operating as normal today. The Annenberg Community Beach House remains closed due to the ongoing closure of Pacific Coast Highway.

Santa Monica restaurants and businesses are open and here for you and can use your support. Visit santamonica.com for hotel & business offers for fire evacuees and first responders.

Please continue to monitor this site and follow the city on social media for the latest updates on the Palisades Fire response and recovery.

Evacuation Warning: Santa Monica areas North of San Vicente Boulevard

All Santa Monica areas north of San Vicente Boulevard remain under an Evacuation Warning. Residents may voluntarily return to this area but should remain prepared with gathered essentials and be ready to leave if conditions worsen.

There are currently no mandatory evacuation orders in the city of Santa Monica and no active fires in Santa Monica. This is the latest map for the city of Santa Monica.

All entry points into the city of Los Angeles from Santa Monica and Pacific Coast Highway remain closed. The public is not allowed to enter Los Angeles evacuation zones, as they are still under evacuation orders. A current evacuation map for the entire Palisades Fire incident can be viewed here.

Authored By

City of Santa Monica

FAQ

Curfew

A curfew is still in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in all evacuation zones. In Santa Monica, this applies to the area from San Vicente Boulevard north to the city limit. Curfew orders are in place to protect evacuation zones from criminals who choose to loot or commit other crimes in these areas. The Santa Monica Police Department has made over 40 arrests in evacuation zones since Jan. 7 for crimes such as burglary, drug possession and outstanding warrants. Current evacuation zones will continue to be monitored for criminal activity.

The Santa Monica Police Department and law enforcement partners, along with personnel from the California National Guard, remain stationed at traffic control points around Santa Monica to assist residents with repopulating, monitor entry/exit points, secure evacuation zones in the city of Los Angeles, and ensure the safety of the surrounding community. If you see anything suspicious or disturbing, please call 911 immediately for life-threatening emergencies, or (310) 458-8491.

Emergency Order

The city of Santa Monica has issued an emergency order in response to the impacts of the Palisades Fire that includes a prohibition on price gouging, a temporary lifting of the short-term rentals ban, and other protections for those who have been impacted by the fire. Read the emergency order here.

Emergency Updates

Sign up for SMAlerts for important safety information and follow the city on Facebook, X, or Instagram for regular updates.
Call 911 to report down power lines or immediate threats to life or property. Report down trees and other non-emergency situations to 311.
See the latest on the Palisades Fire from CAL FIRE, including current containment and acreage, here. Find updates and alerts for all L.A. County area fires here.

Health

Visit LA County Department of Public Health for the latest fire safety and health information. See the News & Updates section for the latest on smoke and water quality advisories. Or call the Public Health Infoline at 833-540-0473, open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For the latest information on air quality in the region, visit AQMD.
The Santa Monica Public Library has a limited amount of N95 masks available to the public. They will be distributed at the following locations during full-service hours, while supplies last. Limit two masks per person.
- Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd. (north entrance)
- Montana Branch, 1704 Montana Ave. (front desk)
- Pico Branch, 2201 Pico Blvd. (front desk)

Cleanup

Public Works teams have been working round the clock to clean up the city and clear debris, including in the evacuation warning zone north of San Vicente Boulevard.
Regular schedule for street sweeping and collection of trash, recyclables and organics has resumed. The Police Department is not enforcing parking violations through Jan. 17, but please help our Public Works Department by observing posted street sweeping signs when parking so they can continue to clean our city.
Please refrain from using leaf blowers that can further disperse ash and dust. Visit LA County Department of Public Health for the latest fire safety and health information, safe clean up after a fire, and prohibition on using leaf blowers.
With the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Ocean Water Advisory, please refrain from power washing ash and other debris as it will further contaminate our water ways. Sweeping and disposing of ash and debris is recommended.

 Water & Utilities

The water provided to residents by the city of Santa Monica is safe to use and drink. The water system is operating normally and meeting demand.
If your water is provided by LADWP, check official information for updates or call 1-800-DIAL-DWP for the latest water quality information. Currently, LADWP customers north of San Vicente Boulevard on Woodacres Road, Esparta Way, and Ermont Place, in ZIP code 90402 in Santa Monica, are under LADWP’s do not drink notice. 
As strong winds are forecast through Wednesday, Jan. 15, please continue limiting outdoor irrigation as much as possible to preserve our water supply in case of an emergency.
Report and monitor power outages through Southern California Edison’s Outage Center. 
For updates on natural gas service, refer to SoCalGas’s fire response page.
Some mail delivery services may be impacted due to the emergency. See the latest on USPS operations here.

Transportation 

Road closures remain in place until further notice for the westbound I-10 past Lincoln Boulevard and northbound Pacific Coast Highway and all access points for northbound PCH. 
Service on Big Blue Bus routes 9, 14, 15, and 43 has been impacted by the fires. See the latest service alerts. Big Blue Bus is currently operating regular service on all other routes. 
Access to downtown Santa Monica businesses is available using Big Blue Bus or the Metro E Line. Both transit agencies have suspended fares during the emergency. Big Blue Bus will resume fare collection on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
If driving, Santa Monica is accessible from the I-10 Freeway via the Centinela Avenue, Cloverfield Boulevard and Lincoln Boulevard exits.
As air quality improves, review the bike map, and take advantage of a dense network of bikeways and convenient bike racks. Hop on your own bike or scooter to get to your destination with ease.

Facility & Service Impacts 

All city offices and public counters resumed normal operating hours on Monday, Jan. 13, as did most city services. The weekend Santa Monica Farmers Markets will be OPEN.

 The following city facilities are closed: 

Annenberg Community Beach House and its recreation classes will be closed through Friday, Jan. 17.
The Santa Monica Pier Carousel will remain closed through Thursday, Jan. 16.

School Closures

Santa Monica schools are open. Malibu schools are closed with the goal to reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 21. See the latest from SMMUSD.
Santa Monica College resumed all on-ground classes, services, and business operations on Jan. 13, with the exception of SMC Malibu, which will remain remote and closed until further notice.

Recovery Resources 

Local resources:

Hotels in Santa Monica are offering specials for those who are evacuated. 
The weekly Tech & Tasks event will take place at the Santa Monica Main Library on Thursday, Jan. 16, from 2 – 4 p.m. Volunteer tutors will be available to help navigate websites, filling out forms, using email and more. This is a great resource if you need help with digital tasks, related to the fire or not.
The Small Business Administration is offering home disaster, business disaster and economic injury disaster loans. They have set up free walk-in business counseling at the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce to help those affected by the fire with their applications. Hours are Monday through Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 2525 Main Street #103.

Regional, state & federal resources:

Find a comprehensive list of state and local disaster resources at CA.gov/LAfires. 
For L.A. County recovery assistance, visit recovery.lacounty.gov. 
The westside Disaster Recovery Center is located at UCLA Research Park West, 10850 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. Operation hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days per week.
For information on resources available through FEMA, visit DisasterAssistance.gov or call the FEMA Hotline at 1-800-621-3362.
If your home insurance has been canceled or suspended due to the fires, or you have questions about your home insurance related to the fires, please call the office of California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara at (800) 927-4357 or go here.  Insurance support workshops will take place at Santa Monica College on Jan. 18 & 19. Call the Commissioner office phone number for appointment availability. 
The Emergency Response Program provides emergency shelter services as a result of severe weather or circumstances that pose an immediate danger to unsheltered individuals.

Price Gouging and Scams

Beware of scammers and price gouging. Find resources from the California Attorney General's Office here.
As of January 7, 2025, state and local laws prohibit price increases exceeding 10% for goods, services, and housing in response to declared fire and wind emergencies. If you suspect instances of price gouging in Santa Monica, please click here to submit a complaint or contact Santa Monica’s Consumer Protection Unit at Consumer.Mailbox@santamonica.gov.
There have also been reports of rental housing scams, so please be sure that you're working with trusted sources. Click here for general information on how to avoid rental listing scams.

Volunteer & Donate

Be sure to use official, verified channels to avoid scams. 

The city is not currently accepting any in-kind donations including food, clothes or beverages. While we appreciate your generosity, please do not drop off items at any fire stations or city facilities. 
Consider volunteering for or donating to Santa MoniCares, which collects donations, discounts and offers available to first responders and evacuees.
Find other volunteering opportunities at L.A. Works, which mobilizes volunteers to address critical issues impacting our community. 
If you are interested in volunteering or making an in-kind or monetary donation to support response and recovery efforts, please consider visiting the California Donations Portal. 
Santa Monica Community College Disaster Support Fund supports SMC students, faculty and staff who have been impacted by the fires.
Other trusted organizations assisting with the L.A. fires are Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Westside Food Bank, California Community Foundation, American Red Cross, and Salvation Army.

Evacuation Centers

Find a full list of evacuation centers in L.A. County here.