Diamond Bar council hears wildfire-preparedness briefing as residents report power outages and vegetation concerns

Diamond Bar — The City Council on Jan. 21 heard a multi-agency briefing on wildfire preparedness, water-system resilience and emergency notifications after recent wind-driven fires in Los Angeles County, and residents urged faster and clearer responses to power shutoffs and vegetation hazards.

City Manager Daniel Fox invited Los Angeles County Fire Department representatives and leaders from Walnut Valley Water District to update council members and the public on preparedness steps taken after wind events that preceded the Palisades and Eaton fires. Acting Assistant Chief Dustin Robertson of the Los Angeles County Fire Department outlined evacuation guidance, response levels and public tools for tracking incidents. Walnut Valley Water District General Manager Sherry Shaw described the district’s storage, generator and mutual-aid capabilities.

The presentations mattered because Diamond Bar sits in a wildland-urban interface where fast-moving fires, high winds and utility interruptions can converge to threaten homes and public safety. Council members and residents used the meeting to press officials for clearer evacuation warnings, better maintenance of hillsides and infrastructure, and explanations for why some neighborhoods experienced repeated public-safety power shutoffs (PSPS) while others did not.

Robertson urged residents to…