L.A. Mountains

Congratulations to L.A. River Walkers and Watchers on their recent recognition by LA City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield for their dedication and commitment to the upper LA River in the Reseda area for the past 11 years!

MRCA is proud to be a part of their collaboration of bringing neighbors and organizations together to take action, helping keep their beloved LA River clean and thriving for families. Ranger Latham represented the MRCA on behalf of the Ranger and Operations staff.

Interested in participating? They are hosting a clean up this Saturday, May 31st at 8am!

Update: 10:51 am Great news, forward progress of the fire has been stopped! Crews will now inspect for hot spots.

May 27, 2026 approx 945am Jasper Fire

Near intersection of Las Virgenes Canyon Road and Mulholland Highway.

The area is closed to traffic as firefighting resources are actively engaging in suppression efforts.

Find updates on Watch Duty.

Talkin about the throng of trash on this Tuesday as the team used tools to tidy the trails.

A tv and a kiddie bike seat were some of the standout items left for us to dispose of in addition to the nearly a ton of trash MRCA Operations staff emptied or collected from the coastal and mountain routes during the two weeks of May 9-15 & 16-22.

Please help us congratulate the newest wildland firefighters! 

The class completed S-190, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior, S-130, Firefighter Training and  L-180 Human Factors in the Wildland Fire Service. With their certification as Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2), they will serve on a hand crew, engine crew, or helitack crew, performing fire suppression and fuels management duties in adverse climate, fuel, and terrain conditions

The training was led by MRCA Fire staff, whose certifications and experiences meet National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) standards and qualifications.

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

UPDATE: Victory Trailhead and ULV have reopened, May 22, 2026. Thank you for your patience as emergency crews made progress on the Sandy Fire containment lines!

NOTICE: Victory Trailhead and all entrances to Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve are closed as of Thursday, May 21st due to the Sandy Fire.

Firefighters and emergency vehicles will be utilizing the fire road to access the 2,100+ acre fire as it burns south towards the park perimeter.

With an active wildfire, warm temps, and unhealthy air quality, please avoid the area until further notice.

As of Tuesday evening, the Sandy, Bain, Tusil, and Santa Rosa Island Fires are currently burning in the Southern California region.

We are monitoring the Sandy Fire as it continues to burn in the Simi Valley area with MRCA Fire crews stationed at nearby parks in preparation, should the fire creep south into the backcountry of Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve or east to Sage Ranch Park.

Watch Duty is a free resource available to track current wildfires, with evacuation areas and emergency shelters for people and animals.

Alert California provides free live feeds from more than 1200 cameras and sensors for public safety while collecting valuable data to help understand wildfires and other natural disasters.

Mark your calendar- the LA River Recreation Zones reopen on Memorial Day, May 25, 2026.

Now in its 14th year, have you experienced the river for yourself? 

Two locations to choose from:
The 1.7-mile Elysian Valley River Recreation Zone
The 2-mile Sepulveda Basin River Recreation Zone

Visit LARiverRecreation . org for maps, outfitters, and water quality testing results provided by LA Sanitation.

Thank you to the Santa Monica Mountains Fire Safe Council for hosting the 2nd Annual Fire Safe Festival!

The festival focused on educating the community about Zone Zero, fire hardening, and fire-resistant landscaping, including the use of native, non-woody plants. Activities included an evacuation board game and demonstrations of fire-hardened home landscaping ideas. Multiple agencies and organizations also participated, all promoting wildfire preparedness and community awareness.

Members of MRCA's Fire Prevention Team was on hand to present the various statewide critical fuel reduction projects- completed, in process, and future!

This event was funded through the RFFC-led program managed by MRCA, which supports the SMMC Fire Safe Council through capacity building, community engagement, and public education initiatives. 
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If you missed this event, there's an in person/virtual meeting Wednesday evening, May 20th - MRCA Vegetation Management Project Update — Community Meeting

Join Topanga and Calabasas residents for an update on current MRCA fuel mitigation projects, progress and successes to date, and upcoming work across the Santa Monica Mountains, including the planned Santa Maria Road broadcast burn.

📅 Wednesday, May 20
🕡 6:30 – 8:00 PM
📍 Calabasas Community Center
💻 In-person + virtual option available

On the agenda:
• Project updates & presentations from Leigh Croley, Fire Prevention Specialist, MRCA
• Remarks from Mike Dyer, Public Safety Manager for the City of Calabasas
• Discussion of Interconnected wildfire resilience efforts
• Community Q&A