Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority Announces Maximum Coordinated Public Protection Effort for Fourth of July Weekend

July 2, 2025

More than 80 wildland fire-trained MRCA ranger, operations, and fire protection staff will patrol MRCA parklands on the night of July 4

LOS ANGELES, CA (July 2, 2025) — The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) announced today its annual public safety patrol and fire protection deployment for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday this Friday. The goal is to safely protect the people and resources that are challenged by a large influx of holiday revelers and traffic in the urban-wild interface. The extensive MRCA Fourth of July deployment plan aims for public safety, fire prevention, law enforcement, and public awareness.

More than fifty MRCA Fire Protection full time, seasonal, paid call-out and volunteer staff, who are wildland firefighters, will patrol MRCA parkland from the ocean to the Santa Clarita in Type 3 and Type 6 Fire Engines; 11 pieces of fire equipment including type three engines and tactical water tenders will be positioned throughout the jurisdiction.

“The MRCA will be out in full force on the Fourth of July to patrol its parklands and curb illegal activity,” said MRCA Chief Fire Management Officer, Ken Nelson. “Our crews are well-trained and ready to respond to the threat posed by the combination of dry brush, fireworks, and warm weather.”

An additional thirty MRCA Rangers, Operations Staff, Public Officers, and seasonal assistants, most of whom are also certified wildland firefighters, will provide safety patrol and enforcement with emphasis on areas of heavy traffic including Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles, Topanga Canyon, the 118 Corridor, and Malibu.

“We are very prepared and ready to respond,” said MRCA Chief Ranger Fernando Gomez, who has patrolled Mulholland on the Fourth of July every year for more than 25 years. “We want the public to understand that some areas may be closed. Be vigilant, read signs, and pay attention to what is going on around you. Stay safe!”

Key deployment and operational areas include:

Mulholland Drive
• Both the Jerome C. Daniel Overlook Above the Hollywood Bowl and the Universal Overlook will be closed before sunset by 6 PM
• Barriers to prevent stopping or parking in front of Universal Overlook will be positioned during the day on Friday July 4 and will remain in place until Monday morning.
• All other overlooks will be closed to vehicular traffic at 5PM.
• Rangers and operations staff will be assigned to fixed locations and as rovers to cover Mulholland Drive and will issue citations as necessary.
• The City of Los Angeles has also committed LAPD, LADOT, and Recreation and Park Ranger staff to the effort on Mulholland Drive including installing additional No Stopping Signs early on the day of July 4 from Multiview to Wrightwood.

Topanga Canyon
• Security guards will be stationed with MRCA staff at the Top of Topanga Overlook–from 8pm to 5 am Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Monday morning.
• MRCA Rangers and Fire protection staff will coordinate and work in tandem with Topanga Arson Watch volunteers and the Lost Hills Sherrif station, who will maintain a robust presence throughout Topanga.

The City of Malibu
• Fire fighting equipment will be pre-positioned. Active fire and ranger patrol will be deployed throughout July 4 and into the early morning at all MRCA coastal locations including Winding Way and Lechuza Beach.

Fire prevention is a year-round activity for the MRCA which maintains an expert resource protection workforce trained in terrain, topography, and fuel management. The agency maintains constant communication with Los Angeles County, Los Angeles City, and Ventura County Fire Departments, and California State Parks and the National Park Service to promote cooperative efforts to prevent and—if necessary—defend against wildfire. MRCA Rangers are California Peace Officers as well as trained wildland firefighters.

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) is a local government public entity exercising joint powers of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Conejo Recreation and Park District and the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District. The MRCA is dedicated to the preservation and management of local open space and parkland, wildlife habitat, coastal access, watershed lands, and trails in both wilderness and urban settings, and to ensuring access to public parkland and coastal resources. The MRCA works in cooperation with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and other local government partners to acquire parkland, participate in vital planning processes, work towards wildfire resilience, and connect wildlife habitat. The MRCA manages more than 80,000 acres of parkland that it owns and that are owned by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. It is one of the lead agencies revitalizing the Los Angeles River.