The City of Santa Monica has taken another step in responding to the Palisades Fire, issuing an emergency order on Wednesday evening.
Signed by City Manager David White, the emergency order includes a curfew from sunset to sunrise in mandatory evacuation order zones, in order to support law enforcement efforts in the area. Evacuation orders are still in place for all areas north of Montana Ave. from the beach to 11th St., and all areas north of San Vicente Blvd.
“The local emergency order provides Santa Monica Police and our mutual aid partners another tool to continue to protect our community,” White said. “Our first responders are out patrolling, staying vigilant and coordinating with our partners throughout this emergency on all fronts.”
White added that the order helps ward off “those with nefarious intentions attempting to take advantage of the mandatory evacuations.” On Thursday, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna stated that 20 people have been arrested for looting in the county, adding that he expects the number to rise.
“If you are in one of these areas, and you do not belong there, you are going to be subject to arrest,” Luna said at a Thursday press conference. “I hope that is as clear as I can make it. Our first choice isn’t to do enforcement. It’s not to make an arrest. It’s to help people. But if people choose to commit crimes, they’re going to be held accountable.”
For Santa Monica, the local emergency order allows impacted schools to temporarily operate within non-residential zones in Santa Monica, though area schools have chosen to close on Thursday, with many already announcing closures on Friday.
Other parts of the order include the suspension of preferential parking rules and enforcement for residents (providing accommodations for those displaced by the Palisades Fire), the prohibition of price gouging for emergency and recovery goods and services, and the prohibition of construction activities in evacuation areas.
In a Wednesday statement, Mayor Lana Negrete stated that 2,472 households are under a mandatory evacuation order, and that the emergency order “further assists our first responders and further protects residents as we weather this regional crisis.”
