BOARD APPROVES SUP. HORVATH’S MOTION TO COORDINATE WILDFIRE PREVENTION ACROSS SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS
March 17th, 2026
LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath to assess the feasibility of establishing a regional wildfire mitigation authority to better coordinate prevention efforts and protect communities across the Santa Monica Mountains.
The 2025 fires burned more than 23,000 acres and damaged or destroyed thousands of homes, underscoring the urgent need for a more unified approach to wildfire mitigation. Land in the Santa Monica Mountains is managed by a patchwork of federal, state, County, and local agencies—as well as private landowners—each with different policies and practices, despite the shared risk across the region.
“Keeping our communities in the Santa Monica Mountains safe means staying prepared, strengthening prevention, and working together across agencies,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. “Following the Franklin and Palisades Fires, we have a clearer understanding of the need for stronger, more coordinated mitigation efforts. This is a step in the right direction—bringing agencies together to align efforts, strengthen prevention, and better protect our communities and the Santa Monica Mountains’ delicate ecosystem.”
The motion directs the Department of Regional Planning and the Los Angeles County Fire Department, in collaboration with key partners including federal and state agencies, nonprofits, environmental groups, academics, and homeowners, to evaluate the feasibility of creating a Regional Wildfire Mitigation Joint Powers Authority for the Santa Monica Mountains. This includes analyzing existing vegetation management practices, developing potential governance and implementation strategies, and identifying funding opportunities to support a coordinated regional approach.
The departments will report back to the Board in 90 days with findings and recommendations.
Today’s action reflects a growing recognition that wildfire risk in the Santa Monica Mountains requires a coordinated, regional strategy to better prevent and respond to future fires.
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