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Nearly a month after deadly wildfires ripped through Los Angeles neighborhoods, the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) has finally reopened in Malibu, California.
The deadly Palisades Fire wreaked havoc in hillside Los Angeles neighborhoods last month, destroying everything in its way, including homes, as flames marched toward the beach.
At about 8 a.m. on Monday morning, traffic along the scenic shoreline route started moving again, though only one lane in each direction was opened, and the speed was limited from Santa Monica to the Ventura County Line.
“Essential traffic only is strongly encouraged,” LA County supervisor Lindsey Horvath said in a statement.
Homes along the Pacific Coast Highway are seen burned by the Palisades Fire, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
With rain in the forecast beginning on Tuesday, the highway will be monitored for hazards such as mud slides and debris flows, Horvath noted.
The Palisades Fire was sparked on Jan. 7 during heavy winds, and it destroyed or damaged about 8,000 homes, businesses and other structures. The fires also killed at least 12 people.
On the same day, another fire fueled by wind was started in Altadena, a community to the west, and killed at least 17 people while destroying or damaging over 10,000 homes and buildings.
Both fires were fully contained last week.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.