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Laguna Beach updates wildfire plan, creates standing ad hoc to fund and fast-track actions
Summary
City council received a 2025 wildfire mitigation and fire safety update, endorsed near-term actions and directed an ad hoc to work on funding strategies and implementation priorities after staff reported new detection, infrastructure and community-preparedness steps.
Laguna Beach city council received a broad update on wildfire mitigation and public-safety steps being taken after recent large fires elsewhere in Southern California, endorsing continued work and directing council members to form a standing ad hoc to develop funding strategies and implementation plans.
The council’s 2025 wildfire update — prepared by Fire Chief Nico King and Emergency Operations Coordinator Sarah Lemones with input from Laguna Beach County Water District and South Coast Water District — summarized progress since the city’s 2019 wildfire plan and recommended 67 further actions. The report emphasized three pillars: government agency work, household-level home hardening and expanded community preparedness such as Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT).
City staff said work already completed includes early-detection cameras placed along Laguna Canyon Road and at the Top of the World, expanded fuel-modification planning and new partnerships with regional responders. Utilities and water agencies briefed the council on projects to increase local supply and hydraulic resiliency; Laguna Beach County Water District staff described studies to leverage gravity storage and plans for new local supply wells and a proposed desalination partnership, while South Coast Water District representatives outlined completed reservoir repairs and potential use of recycled water for firefighting support.
Chief King and staff stressed home hardening and neighborhood preparedness as essential complements to agency work. The city plans door-to-door outreach, expanded CERT training, additional red-flag parking restrictions in areas with poor ingress/egress, and more frequent testing and public outreach about outdoor alerting and Nixle/OC Alert enrollment.
Council members pressed staff on financing and timing. City Manager David Tavarez said the proposed FY 2025–26 budget contains initial funding but more resources will be needed; council directed staff and a continuing ad hoc committee to return with a coordinated funding strategy and implementation timeline. The council voted to continue the ad hoc and directed staff to bring funding options and short-term implementation steps back to the body for approval.
Why it matters: Laguna Beach’s terrain, high property values and wildland‑urban interface make wildfire a top public-safety and fiscal concern. The council’s decision to keep a resourced, ongoing implementation effort — and to seek dedicated funding — sets the local timetable for infrastructure, detection, fuel mitigation and community outreach.
What’s next: Staff will return with a funding/implementation plan and timeline, and will apply for the newly awarded Community Wildfire Protection Plan grant and other state/federal grant opportunities referenced in the update. The council asked for specific proposals for: (1) expansion of fuel-modification zones where science supports going beyond 100 feet; (2) improved evacuation signage and tabletop exercises with mutual‑aid partners; (3) expanded detection (camera/drone) coordination with regional partners; and (4) options to accelerate undergrounding or other utility hardening on priority evacuation routes.
Quotes “Private‑property home hardening and neighborhood preparedness are the second pillar of our success,” Fire Chief Nico King said, noting the city would expand inspections and community outreach.
“Laguna Beach was identified as 1 of 5 cities at high wildfire risk; the grant will help us complete a Community Wildfire Protection Plan this year,” said Sarah Lemones, emergency coordinator.
