Monrovia reviews emergency response after January windstorm and fires; council proclaims local emergency

Monrovia officials reported an extensive emergency response after a January windstorm and neighboring wildfires, and the City Council adopted a proclamation of local emergency as staff outlined immediate cleanup and recovery needs.

City Manager Dylan Feek told the council the city activated its emergency operations center, staged generators at pumping stations and began a coordinated debris-collection effort after widespread downed trees, power outages and fire threats. “We’ve collected over a thousand yards of large trash debris, which is which is the equivalent of about 25 full roll off dumpsters,” Feek said. He also reported the city submitted an initial damage estimate of $1,051,629 covering debris removal and emergency protective measures.

The declaration makes the city eligible to seek state and federal assistance and directs staff to continue damage assessment and coordinate reimbursements. Feek said Monrovia did not issue any citywide evacuation orders during the events, and the department is working to clarify regional notification systems so future alerts are more precise.

City staff described the immediate operational response: public safety personnel fought multiple structure fires while the city’s dispatch partners handled heavy call volume; public works filled water reservoirs and staged crews for debris removal; community services opened a center where residents could charge devices and get information. Feek said the city faced constraints on available roll-off dumpsters and is using extra contract crews and part‑time staff to clear roughly 100 lane miles of streets.

Officials reported five structures in Monrovia sustained damage ranging from tree impacts and appliance fires to full-structure damage. The city identified work in the Hillside Wilderness Preserve where dozer fire lines were installed to protect homes; staff said restoring trails and repairing erosion there could cost “meet or even exceed a million dollars.”

Feek and department directors told council members they will prepare after-action reports with regional partners (including Edison and county agencies) and return with a concise summary of lessons learned and recommended changes to alerting, staffing and preparedness. Council members encouraged greater outreach to vulnerable residents and improved non-subscription alerting tools. Feek said the city is implementing Rave (a geo-targeted, non‑subscription alert system) but is still completing setup and procedures before it will be used widely.

Staff noted several operational clarifications for residents: Athens Waste will not perform extraordinary yard debris collection beyond its existing service; the city continues organized curbside debris pickup where feasible, and residents should follow city guidance on bundling and placing material for faster collection. The city manager’s weekly update and the city’s website remain the primary channels for official updates.

Looking ahead, Feek said some recovery work will proceed quickly to meet reimbursement windows for state and federal programs (work within 180 days is prioritized for certain funding streams). The council closed the discussion by thanking first responders, volunteers and staff for the multi‑agency response and directing staff to bring follow-up items—notification improvements, a consolidated public resource page, and a recovery plan—back for council review.

Ending: City staff and council said recovery could be a months‑long effort and urged residents to watch the city manager’s updates for debris collection, assistance resources and volunteer coordination.