Dear Supporters,
The fight to protect our coastline is far from over. While we’ve been pushing for greater transparency and cleanup of wildfire debris across Los Angeles County, a new, urgent threat demands our immediate attention:
🔥 Burned oceanfront homes in Malibu are STILL polluting the ocean—three months after the Palisades Fire.
We don’t care why these homes haven’t been cleaned up. Whether it’s because the homeowner can’t be located or a “Right of Entry” (ROE) form hasn’t been signed—none of that matters when the toxic remains of these structures are actively poisoning our marine ecosystem.
Every moment of inaction pushes us closer to an ecological collapse. This isn’t just a delay—it’s a disgrace.
🆘 Why This Matters:
The burned homes along Malibu’s coastline are leaking carcinogenic ash, heavy metals, and hazardous chemicals into the ocean, creating a devastating ripple effect:
🔴 Kelp Forest Destruction: Debris acts like sandpaper, stripping away fragile kelp beds that provide food and shelter for thousands of marine species.
🔴 Toxic Runoff: Ash and debris alter the pH of the water, creating imbalances that fuel harmful algal blooms and kill marine life.
🔴 Poisoned Ecosystems: Heavy metals and carcinogens bioaccumulate in fish and other marine species, ultimately impacting human health.
We saw this after the Woolsey Fire, when ash from burned homes polluted Malibu’s reefs for five years. We cannot let history repeat itself.
What’s Happening Now:
At a recent Malibu Town Hall on February 26th, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and LA County authorities discussed the complex, delayed process of debris removal.
While the EPA claims to have completed Phase 1 of hazardous material removal, they have deferred hundreds of properties in Malibu. USACE has stated they expect to clear the remaining parcels by January 2026—but that’s too late.
Our position is clear:
None of these delays justify allowing debris to pollute our ocean. Cleaning up these burned homes should be the top priority—immediately.
Our New Demands:
We’re expanding the scope of our petition to demand:
✅ Immediate Cleanup of Malibu’s Burned Oceanfront Homes:
- Prioritize the removal of fire debris from Malibu’s coastline before another tide washes toxic materials into the ocean.
- Use ecologically sensitive techniques to protect fragile marine habitats.
✅ Accountability for Delays and Lack of Action:
- Hold LA County, USACE, and all responsible agencies accountable for delays in cleanup.
- Ensure transparency and regular updates on the status of debris removal from Malibu’s coastline.
✅ Post-Storm Monitoring and Cleanup:
- Deploy beach wrack removal teams after every major weather event to clear contaminated wildfire debris.
- Prevent further pollution by monitoring and removing toxic materials before they re-enter the marine environment.
Why Your Voice Matters:
This fight is evolving each day, and THIS IS our focus right now—and we need your energy and voices to keep the pressure on. We’ve already seen what happens when public officials ignore the consequences of environmental inaction. Our beaches, marine ecosystems, and public health are at stake.
We refuse to let burned homes continue to pollute our ocean. We’re calling on Governor Gavin Newsom, LA County, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to:
- Clean up the Malibu coastline NOW.
- Stop delays that put our environment at risk.
- Hold all responsible parties accountable for protecting our marine life.
What You Can Do:
✅ Sign and Share the Petition: We need more voices to amplify this urgent message. Share it with your networks.
✅ Contact Your Representatives: Demand immediate action to remove toxic debris from Malibu’s coastline.
✅ Stay Engaged: Follow cacoastalalliance.org for updates and upcoming events.
We can’t wait until 2026 to clean up our coastline. Our marine life doesn’t have that kind of time.
Let’s fight for the ocean before it’s too late.
Thank you for your continued support.
Ashley Oelsen
Petition Starter & Executive Director, The Coastal Alliance
ashley@cacoastalalliance.org