The City of Malibu has completed an independent After-Action Review (AAR) examining how emergency operations were managed during the 2024 Franklin Fire and the 2025 Palisades Fire. The City’s AAR will be presented to Council at the City Council Meeting on March 9, and the Public Safety Commission Meeting on April 1.
The report focuses on the City’s emergency management and Emergency Operations Center processes, including coordination, communication, evacuation, and operations during the emergencies. The AAR is an independent report prepared by Witt O’Brien’s, a nationally recognized emergency management and disaster response firm commissioned as part of the City’s commitment to transparency and accountability, and to continuously apply lessons learned from past disasters to strengthen planning and improve response to future incidents.
Like all After-Action reviews, the report includes recommendations to help improve emergency operations, some of which are already being implemented, and others will be evaluated through future policy discussions and budget considerations.
This AAR is different from the AAR that LA County released about the Eaton and Palisades Fires in September 2025, and focuses only the City of Malibu’s operations.
Community members are encouraged to review the AAR, attend the City Council meeting to learn more, provide public comment, and ask questions. The meeting will also be livestreamed on YouTube for those unable to attend in person.
View the complete AAR