The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion Tuesday to assess the feasibility of establishing a regional wildfire mitigation authority to better coordinate prevention efforts across the Santa Monica Mountains.
The motion by Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath follows the 2025 fires that burned more than 23,000 acres and damaged or destroyed thousands of homes, underscoring the need for a unified approach to wildfire mitigation.
Land in the Santa Monica Mountains is managed by a patchwork of federal, state, county and local agencies, as well as private landowners, each with different policies and practices despite shared risk across the region.
"Keeping our communities in the Santa Monica Mountains safe means staying prepared, strengthening prevention, and working together across agencies," Horvath said. "Following the Franklin and Palisades Fires, we have a clearer understanding of the need for stronger, more coordinated mitigation efforts."
The motion directs the Department of Regional Planning and the Los Angeles County Fire Department, in collaboration with federal and state agencies, nonprofits, environmental groups, academics and homeowners, to evaluate the feasibility of creating a Regional Wildfire Mitigation Joint Powers Authority.
The evaluation will include analyzing existing vegetation management practices, developing potential governance and implementation strategies, and identifying funding opportunities to support a coordinated regional approach. Departments will report back to the board in 90 days with findings and recommendations.
Edited by SMDP Staff