The ocean water along roughly eight miles of prime Los Angeles coastline remained off-limits indefinitely due to the recent rains and fire debris carried to the coast, while a water quality advisory was in effect all L.A. beaches in the county until Thursday morning.
The water closure ordered by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health impacts all beaches from Las Flores State Beach in Malibu to Santa Monica State Beach. That stretch of coast, which includes popular surfing beaches like Topanga, was hit especially hard by the Palisades Fire.
“Fire debris runoff and pollutants in the water and on the sand may contain toxic or carcinogenic chemicals,” county health officials said in a statement. “This includes any runoff that may flow onto or pond on the beach sand. Beach users are advised to stay away from any fire debris on the beach.”
Many of the homes lining the beaches in question were burnt to the ground in the blaze.
The closure order will be in effect until further notice.
An Ocean Water Quality Rain Advisory will be in effect for all Los Angeles County beaches until 8 a.m. Thursday, due to the rain that fell earlier this week and traditionally carries potentially harmful bacteria to the coast.
A separate Water Quality Advisory, however, will remain in effect beyond Thursday due to the potential of fire debris being carried into the ocean. That advisory impacts all beaches in Malibu from Surfrider to Las Flores State Beach and from Santa Monica State Beach to Dockweiler State Beach at World Way in Playa del Rey.
The advisory will be in effect indefinitely. The warnings strongly urge people to avoid contact with the ocean water.
