Brief

Councilmember Tim Crosker, seconded by Katy Yaroslavsky, moved to examine LAFD response patterns to rubbish and vegetation fires on California Department of Transportation property within city limits. The motion directs attention to fire prevention and management of combustible materials along state highway corridors. It was referred to the Public Safety Committee, which approved the item on June 10, 2026. The motion remains open pending further council action.

Full summary

Councilmember Tim McOsker, seconded by Katy Yaroslavsky, introduced this motion on May 6, 2026, in response to a pattern of recurring rubbish and vegetation fires within Caltrans right-of-way areas across Los Angeles. The immediate catalyst was a fire inside an access portal beneath Interstate 110 in the Wilmington and San Pedro area that forced a complete freeway closure, raising concerns about structural damage, traffic disruption, and the adequacy of public safety notifications. The motion argues that Caltrans has failed to adequately secure, monitor, and maintain its infrastructure, and that the City is absorbing the financial and operational costs of that failure. The motion directs the City Administrative Officer and LAFD, in coordination with Caltrans and CAL FIRE, to produce an analysis of the total number and frequency of LAFD responses to rubbish and vegetation fires over the past three years and through Fiscal Year 2025-2026, broken down by how many occurred within Caltrans right-of-way. Separately, the CAO and Chief Legislative Analyst, working with the City Attorney and LAFD, are directed to report on the estimated personnel and operational costs the City has incurred from those responses, whether the City has legal authority to seek reimbursement from Caltrans, CAL FIRE, or another state entity, and what existing interagency cost-sharing agreements or precedents might apply or be renegotiated. The motion also asks Caltrans directly to report on whether it operates or participates in any encampment resolution programs within its right-of-way, including coordination with local jurisdictions, and to detail current policies, resources, and outcomes related to shelter and housing services in those areas. This reflects the motion's underlying acknowledgment that many of the fires originate in or near encampments in freeway-adjacent infrastructure. The motion was referred to the Public Safety Committee on May 6, 2026, scheduled for a hearing on June 5, and approved by the committee on June 10, 2026. It remains open pending action by the full City Council and expires in June 2028.

Activity (3)

• 2026-06-10 Public Safety Committee approved item(s) .
• 2026-06-05 Public Safety Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on June 10, 2026.
• 2026-05-06 Motion referred to Public Safety Committee.

Documents (2)

• 2026-06-10 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-05-06 Motion · motion