Jacob Margolis
covers science, with a focus on environmental stories and disasters, as well as investigations and accountability.
Published October 16, 2023 3:00 AM
Eric Rector covers his face as he runs down a hill from flames racing through the Topanga Canyon area east of Malibu on Nov. 3, 1993, when the last major fire struck the area. A lot of vegetation has built up since then.
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Mike Nelson
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AFP
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Topline:
With just a handful of narrow roads to evacuate thousands of residents, a fast-moving wildfire could be a nightmare scenario in Topanga Canyon.
What we know: If it’s hot, dry and windy enough, a wildfire could potentially burn from the San Fernando Valley to the Pacific Ocean in four hours.
Be prepared: If you’re in any fire prone area, pack a go bag, back your car into your driveway and make sure that you sign up for emergency messages, which is how the fire department will tell you what to do.
If a red flag is announced: Consider leaving in advance before evacuation orders are given so that you don’t get stuck in traffic.
Listen … to "The Big Burn" podcast from LAist Studios for more on wildfire risks and read more on keeping yourself safe.
Topanga Canyon’s nightmare fire scenario begins in the middle of the night when everyone’s asleep at home.
As blustery Santa Ana winds blow in from the east, a spark from a powerline or a passing car drops onto dry brush, starting a fire along the edge of the San Fernando Valley. As the flames grow, emergency services send out alerts, waking up thousands of residents throughout the area, telling some to shelter in place and others to leave.
It’s an increasingly likely situation as our vegetation dries out and winds pick up, according to Drew Smith, fire behavior analyst with L.A. County Fire.
“I would not be surprised,” Smith told me as we stood atop a helipad looking across the Transverse Ranges. “We are training for that.”
With only a few arteries in and out of the canyon, Smith warns that a fast-moving wildfire could trap people on the canyon’s narrow roads, consuming everything in its path.
In a worst-case scenario, the fire explodes into a devastating tragedy akin to the 2018 Camp Fire in Butte County, which destroyed the town of Paradise, trapping people trying to escape. At least 85 people were killed.
“That’s one thing that keeps me up at night,” he said. “That worst-case scenario fire with our residents at home with limited options. It’s terrifying.”
Preparing for the worst-case scenario
A hilltop near the Eagle Rock fire road burns in Topanga Canyon State Park from the Palisades Fire on May 15, 2021 in Topanga, California.
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Brian Feinzimer for LAist
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It’s difficult to emphasize just how dangerous wind driven fires can be, especially where we were standing, near the top of Stunt Road, above Calabasas.
Looking out across the Santa Monica Mountains, you can see small communities tucked in between dense chaparral that hasn’t burned in 30 plus years. Meaning, there’s a whole lot energy ready to fuel fires that roll through.
If the Santa Ana winds are blowing, strong gusts can throw embers more than a mile ahead of a fire front, starting up spot fires all over.
And because of the steep and rocky terrain, firefighting hand crews and bulldozers might struggle to dig fire lines meant to help contain the fire.
Even with water drops from helicopters, containing a fire in nightmarish fall conditions can be all but impossible.
“We know that fire history tells us on a high risk day, if we don’t suppress a fire within the first 10 minutes, it has a high probability of extending to the Pacific,” Smith said.
Drew Smith is a fire behavior analyst with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
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Jacob Margolis
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LAist
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Smith estimates that it'd take one of these worst case scenario fires about four hours to sweep westward, from the San Fernando Valley to the Pacific Ocean, destroying communities along the way. Just as we saw during the Woolsey Fire in 2018, which made its way 17 miles across L.A. to Malibu in less than 24 hours, destroying 1,600 structures and killing killing three.
"Don't get lured into a false sense of security because we've had a very passive fire season in Los Angeles County," said Smith. "Under the right conditions, we have a high potential for a devastating fire in the Santa Monica Mountains that hasn't seen fire frequency in 25 years."
Topanga isn't the sole community at risk, the threat really applies to those throughout the Santa Monicas.
A key staging area: 69 Bravo
The helipad Smith and I were standing on is called 69 Bravo, and it’ll likely be one of the most important staging areas for firefighters when one of these fires does break out.
It sits at about 2,600 feet above sea level, offering views of Newhall Pass on one side and the Pacific on the other. Below the pads are four 8,000 gallon water tanks that automatically refill, there to be drawn on by helicopters and fire trucks that are working to head off flames on their run to the ocean.
The 69 Bravo helipad sits at about 2,600 feet in the Santa Monica Mountains. It offers views of the Transverse Ranges, the San Fernando Valley and the Pacific Ocean. A critical spot for firefighters battling flames nearby.
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Jacob Margolis
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LAist
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The four, 8,000 gallon tanks at 69 Bravo have open tops so that firetrucks and helicopters can draw directly from them. They automatically refill.
How do you know if conditions are ripe for an extreme fire?
It’s quite likely that many fires will be started – all by people – in the coming months. Though, each won’t become a Woolsey level event.
So how do you know if you should be worried?
Smith laid out some of the key conditions he looks for to figure out if a fire is going to move fast:
Temperatures above 80 degrees
Relative humidities in the single digits
Live plants with moisture levels at 80% or less (they’re usually around 55% by the fall)
Strong, gusty winds
If you want to keep it simple, look out for red flag warnings from the National Weather Service, which indicate that extreme fire behavior is possible.
Check out their Fire Weather Snooper, which presents data from weather stations that are entering or in red flag territory.
On average we get eight red flag events per year, according to Smith, and on average each lasts three days.
How you can prepare and respond
Red flag warning prep
It’s always a good time to prep for disasters, especially before a red flag event arrives:
If you live in a high risk area like Topanga Canyon and a red flag event is on its way:
How to stay safe in high-risk areas
Back your car into your driveway and have your go bag in the car, ready to leave at a moment’s notice
If you get an emergency alert, follow the instructions given by emergency services. They’ll be coordinating evacuations, and will make efforts to keep roads from getting clogged
Consider leaving long before any fire breaks out. Smith said he knows people in Topanga that leave as soon as a red flag event starts
Unsure if you live in a high risk area? Check out the state's Fire Severity Zone map for your county.
Listen to our podcast
How did wildfire risks get so bad? What can you do to stay safe? We have answers in our 2022 podcast, "The Big Burn," from LAist Studios.
Robert Garrova
explores the weird and secret bits of SoCal that would excite even the most jaded Angelenos. He also covers mental health.
Published June 6, 2026 5:00 AM
Soundpedro's experimental improvisation.
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Jordan Rodriguez
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Courtesy Soundpedro.art
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Topline:
Soundpedro, the annual sound art festival, returns to the Angels Gate Cultural Center in San Pedro for its tenth year Saturday night.
Soundpedro's experimental improvisation.
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Jordan Rodriguez
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soundpedro.art
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The backstory: Once a year, dozens of sound artists converge on the hill with views of the harbor below to perform their audio art, which can range from serene to “beautifully weird.”
What to expect: This year includes a performer bending a bar of tin with his bare hands to get it to emit what’s called a "tin cry" and synthesizer-based soundscapes that take inspiration from both the ocean and the industrial space below.
When to go: Soundpedro is free and lasts from 7-10 p.m. Saturday.
Soundpedro, the annual sound art festival, returns to the Angels Gate Cultural Center in San Pedro for its 10th year Saturday night.
The backstory: Once a year, dozens of sound artists converge on the hill with views of the harbor below to perform their audio art, which can range from serene to “beautifully weird.”
What to expect: This year includes a performer bending a bar of tin with his bare hands to get it to emit what’s called a "tin cry" and synthesizer-based soundscapes that take inspiration from both the ocean and the industrial space below.
When to go: Soundpedro is free and lasts from 7-10 p.m. Saturday.
Suzanne Levy
is a senior editor on the Explore LA team, where she oversees food, LA Explained and other feature stories.
Published June 6, 2026 5:00 AM
England plays France during the FIFA World Cup 2022 quarter final match.
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Simon M Bruty/Getty Images
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Getty Images Europe
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Topline:
England is the birthplace of soccer..... but the last time the team won the World Cup was 1966. Undeterred, England fans turn up every four years with hope in their hearts, says LAist Senior Editor Suzanne Levy, who grew up in the U.K.
Why now: As all eyes look to the Americas, English fans are beginning another bruising round of matches. Could this year be the one that brings the trophy home?
Why it matters: Because Levy would like England to win the cup just once before her time on Earth expires. Just once.
When I first came to the states many years ago, if I’d mentioned Arsenal, people would have thought I was referring to the U.S. military or something. But all that has changed. You can now watch U.K. premier league games in sports bars, most kids play soccer, and Ted Lasso is must-watch TV.
To which I say — welcome. We English are proud of the fact that soccer began with us more than 150 years ago. And every World Cup, we think, surely this will be the year that the trophy returns home — the year that we’ll win!
Queen Elizabeth II awarding the Jules Rimet World Cup Trophy to Bobby Moore after England won the 1966 World Cup final at Wembley.
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Marc Atkins/Getty Images
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Getty Images Europe
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I mean it did happen … once… back in 1966. It’s such a long time ago the game was televised in black and white and shillings were still being used. My mother was nine months pregnant with my brother, and got so excited jumping up and down she went into labor and had him the next day. World Cup Willie they called him. Actually his name is David, but never mind.
Since then, every four years everyone in the U.K. watches the games with bated breath. And then something stupid will happen, and we’ll lose, like that time in 1998 when David Beckham (who played for England before he came to L.A. Galaxy) lost his temper and was sent off, and we’ll sit there, gloomy and despondent. I know because I was there in my friend’s living room in London, gloomy and despondent, thinking just once, just once, maybe could we please have a win?
David Beckham's infamous 1998 red card in the England vs. Argentina game.
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Richard Sellers/Allstar/Getty Images
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Getty Images Europe
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The last World Cup, I went to Ye Olde Kings Head in Santa Monica to watch England play. At 7 a.m. it was full of people already on their third pint of beer. And when the team got through to the next round, the gentle men of England ran outside the pub, whipped off their shirts and started weaving through traffic, singing football chants and acting like hooligans. I really couldn’t decide if I was embarrassed or if it felt like home.
Anyway, this time, since I’m now an American citizen, it’s in my contract that I need to support Team USA. I’m a dual citizen, though, so I’ll also be cheering for England. If by any chance Team USA and England play each other, my two selves will be watching, with a cup of tea in one hand, and a cold brewski in the other, and the polarities will explode, or something. But what will probably happen is that both teams will be eclipsed by Brazil or France playing the beautiful game… beautifully. Cheers.
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Fiona Ng
is LAist's deputy managing editor and leads a team of reporters who explore food, culture, history, events and more.
Published June 6, 2026 5:00 AM
Parking is an art in L.A.
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vesperstock
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iStock Editorial
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Topline:
Los Angeles actually has a massive public transport system serving the region, which boasts the world's longest light rail line in the form of the 58-mile long Line A (or for old-timers, the Blue line) and tons of buses.
Why it matters: But if you opt to engage in the gladiator sport that is L.A. driving — a reminder you're going to need to park that thing too.
Read on... to find tips on parking your car in L.A.
Stereotypes die hard. Los Angeles actually has a massive public transport system serving the region, which boasts the world's longest light rail line in the form of the 58-mile long Line A (or for old-timers, the Blue line) and tons of buses.
But if you opt to engage in the gladiator sport that is L.A. driving — a reminder you're going to need to park that thing too.
Here's where we come in.
Curb parking
No surprise, our curbs are painted in different colors with different restrictions.
Doesn't matter if there's a driver or passenger inside the car
Yellow Curbs — Depends
For commercial loading only
Vehicles with a commercial license plate can park here, but only if they are actively loading or unloading stuff, for a maximum of 30 minutes
Restrictions are in effect Monday through Saturday 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. unless otherwise posted on signs
That means you can park in yellow zones after 6:00 p.m. with no restrictions, unless otherwise noted
Vehicles without a commercial license plate may load and unload passengers or baggage, for a maximum of 5 minutes
White Curbs — You gotta get going fast
Passenger loading only for a maximum of 5 minutes
Blue Curbs (Accessible Parking Zones) — If you have the placard
Those famous 'clashing' L.A. parking signs
Before we move on to other facets of parking in Los Angeles. We want to take a moment to address a persistent complaint about confusing parking signs that are often clustered together.
When you encounter this phenomenon, we suggest patience. You don't need a degree in math, probably just a pen and paper.
For the sign in the video, here's when you can and cannot park (we think):
No parking on Mondays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. because of street cleaning
all other days you can park between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., but please be aware there's a 2 hour parking limit
Every night, you can stop your vehicle for 10 minutes only for passenger loading between 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
If the curb is not white, then you can park outside of the 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. window without that restriction
You can park for 2 hours:
Between Tuesdays and Saturdays between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
But remember on Mondays, parking is prohibited from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. because of street cleaning
On Sunday, you can park for 2 hours between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Heads up: When in doubt, find somewhere else to park.
Meter parking
LADOT says it operates some 38,000 parking meters in the city. Sometimes it feels as if there are as many meter enforcement people out there.
There are different ways to pay — coins, credit cards, and via text or an app at a number of meters.
Heads up: If a meter is broken, meaning it cannot accept coins or a credit card, then you can only park for free up to the posted time limit.
Other no-no's
Here are several other no parking rules, pulled from this list from LADOT
In alleys, except for to unload things or passengers
Within 15 feet of a fire station driveway or fire hydrant
No double parking
In a center median strip, unless signs indicate otherwise
Parking on a federal holiday
Certain city parking regulations are not enforced on national holidays. They are enforced on state holidays.
Time Limit
Parking meters
No Parking with specified days and times only
No stopping with specified days and times only
Street sweeping (also not enforced the day after Thanksgiving and after Farmworkers Day)
If a national holiday falls on a Saturday it will be observed by the city on a Friday. If it falls on a Sunday it will be observed by the city on a Monday. Parking restrictions are not enforced on both the holiday and the observed holiday.
Adolfo Guzman-Lopez
is an arts and general assignment reporter on LAist's Explore LA team.
Published June 6, 2026 5:00 AM
Union Station's Mission Moderne design.
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Herr Hans Gruber
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LAist Flickr pool
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Topline:
This Spring, Metro has been giving tours of Union Station, showing the architecture and history of one of L.A.’s major landmarks.
Why it matters: The 1939 building mixes art deco and Spanish colonial in a Mission Moderne style and earned a spot in the National Register of Historic Places.
The backstory: It’s called Union Station because when it opened in 1939, it joined the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific railroads with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railway.
The displacement: A thriving Chinese American neighborhood was destroyed to make way for Union Station’s construction. The tour explores this history through an art piece titled include "City of Dreams/River of History," created by artists May Sun and Richard Wyatt in 1995.
You may know about Union Station as an L.A. landmark or as a transportation hub — but how much do you know about its rich architectural history?
To foster that interest and knowledge, Metro created a series of public tours of the station this spring.
“There's so much that you might just walk by without really having the opportunity to delve deeply into,” said Zipporah Lax Yamamoto, deputy executive officer of Metro’s art program. “[The tours are] a really wonderful opportunity to be able to spend time with the station, learn more about the historic landmark, which belongs to all of us.”
Union Station in Los Angeles
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Myung J. Chun
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Getty Images
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Architectural style
It’s called Union Station because when it opened in 1939, it connected the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific railroads with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railway.
While it was designed by father-and-son team Donald and John Parkinson, the architects who gave us L.A. City Hall, its style is very different. Union Station’s interior and exterior mixes art deco, Spanish colonial and other styles into a hybrid dubbed Mission Moderne.
As you begin the tour, entering from Alameda Street, tour guides ask you to look up at the decorative elements in the high ceilings. The beams and geometric patterns may look like wood — but they’re actually just painted to look that way.
A community destroyed by development
Along the way, the tour gives background on pieces created more than 30 years ago. These include "City of Dreams/River of History" by artists May Sun and Richard Wyatt in 1995. Sun’s piece uses remnants of the Chinese American homes torn down to build the station, a reference to the high price that community paid for this building’s construction.
Detail from "City of Dreams/River of History," created by artists May Sun and Richard Wyatt at Union Station.
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Adolfo Guzman-Lopez/LAist
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“It was an enormous price. Chinatown ceased to exist in this area. … The families that lived here during that time are still around and maintain archives of that time period and the original Chinatown here, and we've worked with those families to have those objects on display,” Lax Yamamoto said.
Meanwhile, Wyatt’s large-scale mural includes the face of a Chinese man, along with nine other people of different races, ethnicities and ages; a nod to the diversity of the city since its founding in the late 1700s.
There are also stops to see new art installed for the World Cup.
A mural by Richard Wyatt at Union Station
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Adolfo Guzman-Lopez/LAist
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There are three tours leftin the series but the RSVPs have reached their maximum; however, Lax Yamamoto said Metro will decide whether to continue them based on what people have thought about the tours.
Meanwhile, Union Station is set to swell with people in the next couple of months as L.A. hosts World Cup games. The station is the site of an officialFIFA-sponsored Fan Zone from June 25-28.
