Arson Watch Looks Out for Fire!

In the nearly 30 years that Arson Watch volunteers have been on patrol, only one major fire has been started in the Topanga/Malibu area. It was an Arson Watch volunteer who reported the Old Topanga Canyon/Malibu Fire in November I993. The Santa Monica Mountains just survived a long, hot summer. But the fall months are often more dangerous, with instances of Santa Ana winds and hot, dry conditions. This is why Arson Watch volunteers are so vital—because on Red Flag Days, they are the folks standing on a hilltop with binoculars looking out for smoke and fire. A TEAM EFFORT To help prevent devastating fires, Arson Watch teams patrol the Santa Monica Mountains looking for signs of smoke or fire and report any sighting, warnings and vital information to the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s station, L.A. County Fire, California Highway Patrol, and other local officials. They also provide information to the Topanga Coalition for Emergency Preparedness (TCEP). Arson Watch volunteers are under the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and work closely with them as well as the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA). “MRCA has a greater presence in the Topanga area patrolling 24/7 and they monitor our radio frequencies during Red Flags,� said a Topanga Arson Watch Lead Volunteer when asked how Arson Watch works in the mountains. “We have also been included in recent trainings presented by the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD). “We haven’t really had any Red Flags in the Topanga/Malibu area recently in spite of all the major fires elsewhere and smaller fires locally,� the spokesperson continued. “Nonetheless, during the extreme heat warnings, Arson Watch has had volunteers out as available. Currently, the Malibu group is much bigger than the Topanga group, no doubt due to the Woolsey fire sparking interest in more people volunteering there. Unfortunately, Topanga is the bigger threat since there is so much fuel available in the event of a fire. That was the case in Woolsey and now that fuel is significantly reduced having burned. The ongoing heat waves are further drying the fuel as the period of Red Flags approaches so it is worrisome for Topanga this year.