OPINION: Help Stop Fires, Overnight Camping in Malibu

Overnight camping has become a hot issue for several areas of Malibu. Charmlee Wilderness Park and Ramirez Canyon are the top areas targeted by Joe Edmiston, executive director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Corral Canyon is another area on his target list for camp ground development.

As a resident of Corral Canyon and the founder of Operation Recovery, a group designed to assist those in rebuilding lives and homes after the November 2007 firestorm, I have first-hand knowledge of the dramatic affects fire has on families. Through the experience of leading a group to prosecute those charged for setting the fires that destroyed over 53 homes, I understand the aftermath and the financial and emotional struggles these families and homeowners faced.

Therefore, I am encouraging everyone to sign their name to an online petition. I signed it online; it takes no more than 15 seconds after you follow the link provided below. The Corral Canyon Fire Safety Alliance is looking to acquire signatures for a petition to ban overnight camping in Corral Canyon and other high risk fire areas of Malibu. 

“As anyone who lives in Malibu knows, fire is a year round risk and inviting camping in the Malibu hills only increases our chance of another devastating fire resulting in loss of property, wildlife, personal belongings, pets and human lives,” Corral activist Lori Juarez Jacobus said.

Jacobus recently started the petition and it already has over 797 signatures as of Wednesday night - a strong showing for a short amount of time. More signatures are needed.

If this initiative is something you agree with, please stand alongside the over 797 current signatures by adding your name - it would mean so much.  The petition can be found here by clicking here.

“And, if you'd like to take it a step further, please share this article with all your family and friends who are Los Angeles County residents and forward the above link to your email contacts too!  Reaching more people allowing us to have over 1000 signatures would be wonderful!” says Jacobus.

The CCFSA is asking the City of Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains conservancy to prohibit overnight camping in Corral Canyon and other high-risk fire areas because of a public safety concerns. The combination of dry brush and strong winds creates the opportunity for fire to spread very quickly. The 2007 fires, which were caused by a campfire at the top of Corral Canyon is one of the motivations for the petition.