Message from the Fire Chief: Building a Fire-Safe Future for Laguna Beach

Since the devastating Paradise Fire in 2018, the City of Laguna Beach has made wildfire safety a top priority. In 2019, the City Council adopted a Wildfire Mitigation and Fire Safety Plan, implementing over 40 key recommendations with an investment of more than $25 million.

Here’s what’s been accomplished so far:

- Enhanced our emergency alert and notification system, including an expanded outdoor warning system.
- Implemented updated evacuation plans.
- Added two helicopter fire hydrant filling stations.
- Installed fire lookout cameras in wildland areas.
- Made public infrastructure improvements, such as widening Bluebird Canyon Drive.
- Maintained and expanded the City’s fuel modification zones.
- Continued efforts to underground utilities in the community.
- Continued vegetation management to reduce fire risk.
- Partnered with Laguna Beach County Water District to improve water supply and volume for fire suppression.
- Adopted the most protective local building and fire codes in the county, ensuring all new construction complies with CA building codes for Very High Fire Severity Zones. Our building division also holds one of the highest ISO scores in the state for effective code application and enforcement.

There’s still more to be done. Remaining priorities include:

- Undergrounding additional utility lines
- Home hardening
- Continued vegetation management
- Expanding public education and preparation efforts, such as community events, drills, and mailers.

We will be initiating a process to do a comprehensive update of our plan based lessons to be derived from the ongoing fire disaster in Los Angeles. Stay tuned as we begin this process. Together, we can make Laguna Beach as fire-safe as possible. Our thoughts and prayers are with our fellow Californians who have had to experience this catastrophic fire event.