Photo: Cal Fire
Parts of California’s iconic Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu have been closed since January’s massive wildfires devastated the area. While there were several fires across Southern California at the time, the Palisades Fire was by far the largest, tearing through parts of Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and Topanga for 24 days and burning just shy of 24,000 acres.
In late January, officials announced several Los Angeles area beaches would be closed indefinitely as a result — an advisory that was lifted months later in early April. Now, California Governor Gavin Newsom says Pacific Coast Highway will also be opened in time for summer.
“We understand how essential this route is for daily life and local businesses. Reopening PCH is a top priority, and we are going all-in to get this done,” Newsom said in early April.
According to the Governor’s office, more than 100 USACE crews have been dedicated to Palisades fire parcels, using PCH as a route for hauls. This interferes with traffic that leads up to a handful of popular surf spots in the area, where residents with burn area access passes can drive through but still have limited access and long delays are normal. According to Governor’s office, crews have been removing 1,284 truckloads of debris per day in an effort to have the highway opened from Chautauqua Boulevard in Pacific Palisades to Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu by the end of May, 2025.
