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

June 29, 2026

More than 80 wildland fire-trained personnel from MRCA’s fire protection, ranger, and operations divisions will patrol MRCA parklands on the night of the Fourth of July

LOS ANGELES, CA (June 29, 2026) — The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) today announced its annual public safety patrol and fire protection deployment for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday. The goal is to protect people and natural resources during the large influx of holiday visitors and traffic in the urban-wildland interface. The comprehensive deployment focuses on public safety, fire prevention, law enforcement, and public awareness.

More than 50 MRCA Fire Protection full-time, seasonal, paid call-out personnel, and volunteer staff, who are wildland firefighters, will patrol MRCA parkland from the Pacific Coast to Santa Clarita aboard Type 3 and Type 6 fire engines. Eleven pieces of firefighting equipment, including Type 3 fire engines and tactical water tenders, will be strategically 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 dry brush, fireworks, and warm weather.”

An additional 30 MRCA Rangers, Operations Staff, and Public Officers, most of whom are also certified wildland firefighters, will provide safety patrols and enforcement operations 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 your surroundings. Stay safe!”

Key deployment and operational areas include:

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

Mulholland Drive
• Both the Jerome C. Daniel Overlook Above the Hollywood Bowl and the Universal Overlook will be closed by 6 p.m.
• Barriers to prevent stopping or parking in front of Universal Overlook will be positioned during the day on Friday, July 3, and will remain in place until Monday morning.
• All other overlooks will be closed to vehicular traffic at 5 p.m.
• 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 Parks Ranger staff to the Mulholland Drive operation, including installing additional “No Stopping” signs early on the Fourth of July from Multiview to Wrightwood.

Topanga Canyon
• Security guards will be stationed with MRCA staff at the Top of Topanga Overlook—from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Friday through Monday morning.
• MRCA Rangers and Fire Protection staff will coordinate and work in tandem with Topanga Arson Watch volunteers and the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station, who will maintain a robust presence throughout Topanga.

Fire prevention is a year-round activity for the MRCA, which maintains an expert resource protection workforce trained in wildland fire suppression 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. Several of the rangers’ trucks are outfitted with quick-attack fire suppression capabilities.

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 toward 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.