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.
A row of Los Angeles School Police officers in uniform sit together during an outdoor ceremony.
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Courtesy Los Angeles School Police Department
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Topline:
Police forces at California’s K-12 schools have quietly been purchasing and using military equipment for decades — and some have yet to comply with a state law requiring them to disclose that to the public.
The backstory: In 2014, public records revealed the Pentagon had armed California public school police agencies with surplus military gear, including the Los Angeles Unified School District. But beyond the Pentagon’s surplus program, law enforcement agencies including school police have the option to purchase military-grade equipment on their own. A CalMatters investigation has found that the nine K-12 districts in California with these weapons have not been routinely reporting their inventories, renewing their policies, or holding public forums, as required by the law.
Which districts have lagged on reporting?: Five of the school police forces have not disclosed their inventory to the public this year, in spite of a 2021 state law requiring them to do so annually. Two of them, at San Diego Unified School District and Montebello Unified School District, published up-to-date inventory reports after CalMatters asked for them. The remaining two police departments, at Twin Rivers Unified and Santa Ana Unified, released reports for the first time in 2026 after owning the weapons for years.
Police forces at California’s K-12 schools have quietly been purchasing and using military equipment for decades — and some have yet to comply with a state law requiring them to disclose that to the public.
In 2014, public records revealed the Pentagon had armed California public school police agencies with surplus military gear. The Los Angeles School Police Department, supplied with grenade launchers, assault rifles and an armored vehicle, faced strong criticism from local civil rights groups and relinquished its federally-donated armory by 2016.
But beyond the Pentagon’s surplus program, law enforcement agencies including school police have the option to purchase military-grade equipment on their own. Nine of California’s 21 public school police forces have bought their own stashes of military-grade equipment, including semi-automatic rifles, less-lethal launchers and smoke grenades. Under the state’s Penal Code, less-lethal weapons are devices meant to incapacitate or stun someone without killing them, though some of these devices have maimed and killed in the past.
Five of the school police forces have not disclosed their inventory to the public this year, in spite of a 2021 state law requiring them to do so annually. Two of them, at San Diego Unified School District and Montebello Unified School District, published up-to-date inventory reports after CalMatters asked for them. The remaining two police departments, at Twin Rivers Unified and Santa Ana Unified, released reports for the first time in 2026 after owning the weapons for years.
School districts say these weapons improve police ability to respond to critical incidents and threats, apprehend violent suspects, and help with crowd control.In April, Twin Rivers school police in Sacramento County brought out its military-grade patrol rifles while responding to a shooting at an out-of-district high school where a teenager was killed. At that time, the police department did not have a military equipment policy in place.
Some of the districts with police forces initially denied owning military equipment in response to CalMatters’ questions, but changed their answers when asked to double-check since they had policies listing the equipment.
Los Angeles School Police possess 112 semi-automatic rifles and 104 bean-bag shotguns, according to information provided by district spokesperson Christy Hagen. Hagen did not respond when asked if they plan to report that publicly as required by the 2021 law.
“This equipment is used only in limited, high-risk situations where it is necessary to help protect students, staff, community members, and officers,” Hagen wrote in an email to CalMatters. “It is deployed when needed to safely de-escalate dangerous incidents, reduce risk to everyone involved, and help bring critical situations to a safe resolution.”
The 2021 law does not require police to track or report non-military weapons, such as tasers and “standard issue” semi-automatic rifles. However, district governing boards overseeing school police can subject any additional items of their choosing to the same oversight. Some districts told CalMatters they don’t consider tasers and rifles military equipment despite listing those items as such in their policies.
School security armed with AR-15s
The Twin Rivers Unified School District Police Department has owned military equipment for over 20 years. But the district’s board of trustees didn’t approve an equipment use policy until May.
District Police Chief David Lugo said at the board meeting that the policy simply brought the department into compliance with state law, rather than granting police newfound authority to be armed.
However, state law requires a governing body’s permission if police want to use or buy military equipment. Permission can only be granted if the desired equipment is cost-effective, the police agency has developed an equipment policy that safeguards civil liberties, and there is no other way to maintain civilian safety. The policy must be approved by the same governing board before the equipment is used, re-approved at least annually, and posted online as long as the equipment is usable.
These requirements, and many more, took effect when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 481, which aimed to limit the “risks and impacts of police militarization,” especially in low-income and marginalized communities. The law took effect on Jan. 1, 2022, giving police a five-month grace period to comply.
The Twin Rivers district does not perceive a conflict between this law and what Lugo said at the meeting, district spokesperson Zenobia J. Gerald wrote in an email to CalMatters.
Military tools “are not used in the Department’s day-to-day support of District campuses,” Gerald wrote. “They are only used to respond to extraordinary situations such as the presence of firearms or other serious threats on school campuses and active shooter situations.”
Lugo did not respond to repeated interview requests.
Parents split on military equipment
At Twin Rivers’ board meeting in May, 14 people used their public comment time to speak about the school police’s equipment inventory. Six attendees, including parents and teachers, protested the adoption of the policy. The other eight commenters, all parents or local residents, spoke in strong support of the district’s military arsenals. Most proponents argued that student safety comes first and school police should take any means necessary to deflect a school shooter.
“The policy is not about militarizing our schools,” said Dianne Kieffer, a board member of a local neighborhood organization. “It’s about preparedness, accountability, transparency, and making sure that the people responsible for protecting our children and our staff and our schools have clear rules, training, oversight and the proper tools if the worst day imaginable ever comes to happen.”
Dean Broussard, the CEO of a security services company, said taking care of the district’s children is more important than people’s personal ideas about police equipment.
“If the time comes, and I hope and pray it never happens, that these officers need to go into a shooting incident, and they don’t have the tools, and they call for (local police) backup, and officers are 15, 20 minutes away … that’s not good,” he said at the meeting. “The immediate response is what we need.”
Parents Kevin and Tricia Hedahl opposed the proposed policy, citing the extensive preparation necessary to safely deploy less-lethal tools and assault rifles usually reserved for war. State law requires the military equipment policy to list necessary training, if there is any, for each weapon.
Kevin Hedahl served in the U.S. Army’s Second Ranger Battalion’s Special Ops unit from 1999 to 2003, and said in an interview that he used the same type of weapons used by Twin Rivers school police in Afghanistan and in the Middle East to breach doors and in combat.
“To be trained to utilize them in a way that we wouldn’t be just randomly killing people was a 24-7 amount of training. We were doing live fire drills on a weekly basis,” he said. “The idea that a police force has access and is able to use these weapons with just this tiny little bit of training just blew me away.”
Others argued that arming campus cops could signal to families that the district sees their kids as dangerous. Diane Roberts, an English teacher at Grant Union High School, said the board should consider how families of Black and Latino students — who comprise over half of the district — feel about assault weapons on campus.
“I think really, really well-trained teachers and school counselors who can do interventions ahead of time is going to be more impactful and help students so much more than (military weapons),” Tricia Hedahl said in an interview. “Conflict resolution and focusing on de-escalation is going to keep so many more people safe and keep it from happening in the first place.”
Colleges, K-12 schools break the same rules
In July, CalMatters uncovered a massive inventory of military-grade weapons and tools owned by police at the state’s public colleges and universities, and determined that many of the campuses had failed to abide by the state’s strict transparency rules. CalMatters’ continued investigation shows similar failures among K-12 district police forces.
Once military-grade equipment — like less-lethal shotguns, flashbang grenades and drones — is in police hands, that department is required to compile an annual report containing an updated inventory, a summary of equipment uses and filed complaints, the year’s maintenance costs, and an index of planned equipment purchases. The report, filed with the governing body, must also be posted online. Within 30 days of publication, the department must hold a forum where the public can discuss the report and ask questions.
Before CalMatters asked for these reports, five K-12 school police forces — Apple Valley, Fontana, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego — had not published them in the past year.
Stockton and Montebello published reports in 2025. But even though Montebello held a meeting in April this year, it only published its 2026 report online for public viewing after several inquiries from CalMatters in July. The Stockton Unified School District communications office declined to comment on whether its police department held an equipment forum in 2025.
Twin Rivers police held the mandated forum this year. The Santa Ana school police department, which released its first equipment report this year, did not respond to repeated phone and email inquiries into whether its district held the required meeting. This district’s report also did not list the currently-owned quantities of rifle and bean bag munitions or quantities of less-lethal launchers the department plans to buy.
A Santa Ana Unified School District Police Department equipment summary from 2026 lists M4 rifles, ammunition, 12-gauge less-lethal bean bag rounds, command vehicles and firearm supplies in its arsenal.
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Image
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via the Santa Ana Unified School District Police Department
Dan Garcia, Montebello’s Administration Services director, told CalMatters the public can express concerns at police town halls and district board meetings. Gerald at Twin Rivers said complaint forms can be mailed or delivered in-person at school. Santa Ana school police did not respond to repeated inquiries about their policy’s missing details.
Some districts are uncertain over what qualifies for reporting
State law requires military equipment documents to be available online, but the Fontana and Apple Valley school districts both said CalMatters would have to get the documents through public record requests.
Initially, on Aug. 4, Fontana’s public records department stated campus police do not own any military equipment. When CalMatters asked if they were certain, the district responded on Aug. 10 that they would update their 2024 equipment report and submit it to their district board of education this September.
San Bernardino school police also said at first that they have no military equipment. When CalMatters asked again, the district sent an equipment report a few days later.
Under the law, all pieces of military equipment need to be listed in a use policy, along with manufacturer descriptions, necessary training, costs and rules for using the items. The policy must also spell out possible penalties for policy violations.
Campus cops do not have to reveal their taser inventory to the public under the military equipment law. For example, the El Rancho Unified School District told CalMatters that campus police carry Axon TASER 7 devices, which they say provide a less-lethal option if force is necessary, but this information is not required to be disclosed.
However, a 2025 policy from Apple Valley Unified categorizes its tasers, semi-automatic rifles, sponge launchers and munitions as military equipment, but lists no other information about those devices. The district told CalMatters its police department has never produced an inventory report, adding that its tasers and rifles are exempt from the state law, which only requires police to report non-standard semi-automatic rifles and Taser Shockwave devices.
Along with the aforementioned districts, 11 other California public school districts — plus Victor Valley Union High School — operate their own police departments. Several of them, including Victor Valley and the Clovis and Hesperia districts, have published military equipment policies but told CalMatters they don’t own such equipment nor plan to purchase it. Compton Unified attracted criticism from local residents in 2014 when it authorized campus police to carry AR-15s, though district spokesperson John Stouffer said the department never bought them.
Fontana and San Bernardino both told CalMatters they would make and publicize the necessary reports as the school year begins. So did San Diego school police, which submitted a new report to its district’s board of education in August after two years without one.
Phoebe Huss is a contributor with the College Journalism Network, a collaboration between CalMatters and student journalists from across California. CalMatters higher education coverage is supported by a grant from the College Futures Foundation.
'Water for Elephants' will be at the Pantages through Sept. 27.
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Matthew Murphy
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Broadway in Hollywood
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In this edition:
World’s Largest Beach Cleanup, O.C. Burger Week, Other Places Art Fair and more of the best things to do this week.
Highlights:
Leave it to Venice to have a beach cleanup with an afterparty. Join the attempt to make this weekend’s event the world’s largest beach cleanup (a worthy cause!) and like Rio, keep on dancing on the sand for hours after.
Head to Orange County for the best burgers across the area all week long. The menus are up, and the deals are in, so check out a burger a day from Anaheim to Newport. Burgers are priced at $10, $15, $20, $25, $30 and $35.
Angels Gate hosts a fair of underrepresented artists and craftspeople for the Other Places Art Fair. The decommissioned Battery Leary-Merriam Army battery makes for a unique backdrop to explore work from artists of all backgrounds.
I have heard about so many people starting new things this week — new jobs, new schools, new projects. It’s also the start of the Jewish New Year, so a fortuitous time for new beginnings. I hope you’re having a sweet one.
Saturday, Sept. 19, 4 p.m. LifeguardTower 18 Venice Beach COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Volunteers participate during the LA28 Venice Beach Clean-Up at Venice Beach on December 05, 2025.
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Katelyn Mulcahy
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Getty Images for LA28
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Leave it to Venice to have a beach cleanup with an afterparty. Join the attempt to make this weekend’s event the world’s largest beach cleanup (a worthy cause!) and like Rio, keep on dancing on the sand for hours after.
Urs Fischer
Through Saturday, Oct. 3 Jeffrey Deitch 925 N. Orange Drive, Hollywood COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Urs Fischer
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Jeffrey Dietch
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You have a couple weeks left to catch Swiss artist Urs Fischer’s show at Jeffrey Deitch, where he uses the vast space to its fullest, creating installations of unexpected everyday objects (desk chairs, rotting fruit, melted wax) in some unique (and sometimes compromising) configurations.
Sutton Foster teaches dance fitness
Sept. 17, 22, 24 The Limit at Sierra Madre Dance Center 154 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre COST: $40; MORE INFO
Sutton Foster will be teaching three dance fitness classes in Sierra Madre.
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Bruce Glikas
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Getty Images
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I'm too nervous and uncoordinated to show up to this class, but if you go, please report back and tell me how amazing it was to dance with the queen of Broadway herself, Sutton Foster. The tap-tastic star is coming to teach a dance workout class with The Limit, so whether you’re looking for a workout or your next starring role, this is the spot.
Other Places Art Fair
Saturday, Sept. 19, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Angels Gate 3601 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Angels Gate hosts a fair of underrepresented artists and craftspeople for the Other Places Art Fair. The decommissioned Battery Leary-Merriam Army battery makes for a unique backdrop to explore work from artists of all backgrounds. Plus, there will be hands-on weaving, voice and rhythm meditation, embroidery, printmaking, and mixed-media sculpture workshops.
Steampunk Rocket Ship Papercraft Workshop
Sunday, Sept. 20, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. CRASH Space 10526 Venice Blvd., Culver City COST: $55.20; MORE INFO
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CRASH Space
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Eventbrite
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You don’t have to be a kid — just a kid at heart — to get your creative juices flowing and make a light-up rocket ship out of hand-inked paper. Run by Ink and Paper Apothecary, no experience is necessary, and the fee includes all materials; you’ll leave with your own unique piece to take home and display. Up, up and away!
Water for Elephants
Through Sunday, Sept. 27 Pantages Theatre 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood COST: FROM $69; MORE INFO
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Matthew Murphy
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Broadway in Hollywood
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The seven-time Tony-nominated musical Water for Elephants makes the circus come alive onstage through incredible acrobatics and performance magic. It’s only here through Sept. 27, so catch the Broadway tour while you can.
Orange County Burger Week
Through Saturday, Sept. 26 Multiple locations COST: VARIES; MORE INFO
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Courtesy Moxxe PR
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Head to Orange County for the best burgers across the area all week long. The menus are up, and the deals are in, so check out a burger a day from Anaheim to Newport. Burgers are priced at $10, $15, $20, $25, $30 and $35. New this year are Luxury Burger Pairings, where premium burgers meet curated wine pairings and handcrafted cocktails, plus dedicated specialty and vegetarian/vegan menus. All participating restaurants, menus and pairings are updated at BurgerWeek.com.
LA in Motion, Now & Next: Reimagining Public Art, Access and Policy
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wende Museum 10808 Culver Blvd., Culver City COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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The Wende Museum's Community Center
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Eventbrite
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Curious about where art and transport intersect in L.A.? A panel of art experts will discuss the future of public art, accessibility and policy in L.A. at this Arts Council of Los Angeles session. A reception will precede (and follow) the panel discussion, and if you haven’t spent any time in the Wende’s lovely courtyard, this is a great chance to hang in one of the city’s best-kept-secret gardens.
The Ford/Hill Project (West Coast Premiere)
Thursday to Saturday, Sept. 17–19, 8 p.m. REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater) 631 W. 2nd St., Downtown L.A. COST: $35; MORE INFO
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Emilio Madrid
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The Redcat
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Using real Congressional audio testimony from Anita Hill and Christine Blasey Ford, this new docu-play explores what happened in the time in between the two testified and how far (or not) we’ve come. The powerful piece is only here Sept. 17 to 19 after an explosive premiere at BAM in New York last week.
TenderFest
Saturday, Sept. 19, 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Wallis 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd.,Beverly Hills COST: $65; MORE INFO
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Courtesy TenderFest
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We have a debate in our house about whether it’s “chicken tenders” or “chicken tendies” (a word that, frankly, gives me the ick). But no matter what you call them — nuggets, strips, whatever — they're all delicious, and they can all be yours at TenderFest, an all-you-can-eat celebration of the mighty chicken tender. It returns to The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills this Saturday. There will be big-name chefs taking part, a sauce squad walking around with a selection of dips, and maybe even some low-key celeb sightings because, you know, it’s Beverly Hills.
Summer of '94 LA Community Day
Saturday, Sept. 19, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Evolve LA 1921 Blake Ave., Frogtown COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO
The USA team celebrating during their game against Colombia in the first stage of the 1994 World Cup Finals.
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Shaun Botterill
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Getty Images
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Maybe you still have World Cup fever, or maybe you want to relive the excitement of the U.S.A.'s exciting run as hosts of the 1994 World Cup, as documented in the film Summer of '94. You can join in a conversation with 1994 US Men’s National Team member and soccer legend Cobi Jones, plus Olympian and former Angel City FC captain Ali Riley at Evolve LA on Saturday. There will also be a skills clinic and a light lunch.
Keep up with LAist.
If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.
Police and firefighters investigate the scene where a helicopter crashed and burst into flames Tuesday night in Chatsworth not far from a serious accident involving a Metro bus that also left three people dead.
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Ronaldo Bolanos
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline:
NBC4's news helicopter crashed in a Los Angeles neighborhood tonight and burst into flames, killing at least three people while reporters were covering the nearby crash of an SUV and a city bus, officials said.
What we know: Colleen Williams, an NBC4 Los Angeles anchor, confirmed during a live broadcast that the station’s chopper went down just before 7 p.m. “We are going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, process it,” she said, her voice shaking with emotion. Moments later their coverage abruptly cut off.
This is a developing story
A news helicopter crashed in a Los Angeles neighborhood on Tuesday and burst into flames, killing at least three people near the scene of where an SUV had slammed into a city bus, officials said.
The helicopter crashed around 7 p.m. near a one-story commercial building in the neighborhood of Chatsworth in the San Fernando Valley, as news crews were covering the bus crash that left at least two people dead and six others injured, according the Los Angeles Fire Department.
An NBC4 Los Angeles anchor at the station confirmed during a live broadcast that its chopper went down just before 7 p.m.
At least one person killed in the helicopter crash was outside in the parking lot next to the commercial building, Capt. Branden Silverman, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department, said during a news conference. It was unclear if the other two who were killed were on the ground or inside the aircraft.
The scene of a deadly helicopter crash in Chatsworth broadcast be CBSLA.
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Courtesy CBSLA
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What NBC4 is reporting
NBC4 has confirmed the two people killed aboard the NewsChopper4 helicopter Tuesday night were reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. Both, the news outlet said, were employees of Angel City Air. In a story on NBC4's website, Moreno is described as "a familiar voice for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 during the station's aerial coverage."
Prior to confirming it was a helicopter reporting for NBC4, NBC reporters acknowledged the newsroom had lost contact with their team. The news helicopter was among several in the area covering a fatal bus crash.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said, in a statement on social media: "I’m absolutely devastated by the loss of life in Chatsworth tonight. My heart is with the families and loved ones of those we lost in the tragic bus collision and helicopter crash."
One person was taken to the hospital, but their condition was not immediately clear.
“We’re trying to determine how many patients were inside the helicopter,” said Silverman, who described the helicopter as “pretty well destroyed” and adding that officials would be sorting through the rubble to see how many victims were on board.
At least four cars and two storage containers on the ground burned after the helicopter caught fire, which was quickly put out, according to officials. More than 50 firefighters responded to the helicopter crash, according to the fire department.null
Police and LA Metro investigate the scene of a crash between an SUV and a LA Metro Bus that left three people dead on Tuesday in Chatsworth.
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Ronaldo Bolanos
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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About two hours before the crash, an SUV slammed into the middle of a city bus, killing at least two people and injuring six others. Photos and videos online showed half of the SUV lodged into the side of an MTA bus.
The helicopter crashed about a mile and a half from the bus crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration said it will be investigating the cause of the helicopter crash.
Aaron Schrank
has been on the ground, reporting on homelessness and other issues in L.A. for more than a decade.
Published September 15, 2026 7:30 PM
Garrett Lee (right), of Department of Mental Health's HOME Team, collaborates with LAHSA’s Homeless Engagement Team during outreach in the targeted COVID-19 testing efforts in the homeless community, April 2020
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Courtesy of Los Angeles County
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Topline:
The Los Angeles region’s lead homelessness agency is effectively forfeiting the federal administrative roles it has held for decades, including applying for millions of dollars in funding for the region and leading the annual homeless count, the agency announced Tuesday.
How we got here: The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority's governing commission voted Tuesday not to apply to keep its four federal roles, including serving as the "collaborative applicant" that brings in about $240 million a year from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development. The decision follows months of scrutiny over LAHSA's management, a HUD suspension in June and a stay imposed by an appellate court last week that cast doubt on whether LAHSA could even apply.
Other applicants: L.A. County's Department of Homeless Services and Housing is applying to take over all four roles — the homeless count, the federal funding application, and two HUD-mandated systems that track unhoused residents and match them to housing. The city of L.A. is applying for at least two of those roles, setting up a competition between the region's two largest homelessness funders.
What’s next?: Applicants have until Sept. 25 to file, and any pick by the region's Continuum of Care Board will be reviewed by HUD and the federal judge overseeing the case. LAHSA says it will keep performing the roles until they officially transition to a new entity.
The Los Angeles region’s lead homelessness agency is effectively forfeiting the federal administrative roles it has held for decades, including applying for millions of dollars in funding for the region and leading the annual homeless count, the agency announced Tuesday.
The decision comes as the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority faces mounting criticism from both the Trump administration and local leaders who accuse the agency of mismanaging homeless services.
It reverses a monthslong legal battle LAHSA had been waging with the federal government to continue in these duties.
The city of Los Angeles, L.A. County and other entities and organizations are now applying to take them over.
At a county meeting Tuesday, Supervisor Lindsey Horvath called it “a fundamental change that reflects the significant performance, contracting and financial concerns that have plagued LAHSA for too long.”
“ Officials avoiding accountability will no longer have LAHSA to hide behind, and the county and city must be accountable to each other and to our entire Los Angeles region,” Horvath continued.
LAHSA's decision
In June, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development suspended LAHSA from conducting its federal duties, including applying for or receiving grants, putting $241 million in anticipated funding and LAHSA’s future in limbo.
LAHSA sued.
U.S. District Judge David O. Carter paused LAHSA’s suspension on Aug. 13, but also instructed a regional planning body known as the L.A. Continuum of Care Board to solicit applications from other entities to replace LAHSA in those key roles.
The Continuum of Care Board opened its application process online last week, inviting qualified organizations to take on one or more of LAHSA’s current administrative roles.
LAHSA’s governing commission voted unanimously Tuesday to not apply, effectively forfeiting the federal roles that comprise most of its remaining responsibilities.
The city of L.A. and L.A. County are both applying, according to LAHSA.
“With both the City and County preparing their own applications, competing against our founding partners would only fracture regional collaboration during an already complex time,” the LAHSA Commission and the agency's leadership said in a statement.
“This decision reflects the shared judgment of LAHSA’s Commission and executive leadership,” the statement continued.
Federal roles
LAHSA will forfeit the following federal homelessness roles:
1. Coordinating and submitting annual federal homeless assistance funding applications to HUD on behalf of the entire L.A. region — about $240 million in the coming year.
2. Planning, executing and reporting the region’s annual point-in-time homeless count.
3. Operating and administering a HUD-mandated database that tracks who's being served and whether they're moving into housing.
4. Managing and operating a HUD-mandated system to match unhoused people to available housing and services based on need.
How we got here
After Carter paused LAHSA’s suspension, the federal housing agency appealed the decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Last week, the appeals court issued a temporary stay on Carter's order.
LAHSA said that ruling created more uncertainty about whether the agency was eligible to apply for the federal roles it has held for the past three decades.
“Stepping aside now supports alignment with the direction the City and County are heading with their applications, and focuses public resources where they belong: on the people who depend on the rehousing system every day,” the LAHSA statement said.
LAHSA is a joint powers authority between the city and county, created three decades ago to manage the region’s response to homelessness.
City and county officials are collectively responsible for LAHSA, which has administered federal, state, county and city homelessness funding across the region.
Citing LAHSA’s management problems, L.A. County pulled more than $300 million annual homelessness funding from the agency starting this year, choosing instead to administer the funds through a new county homelessness department.
The city of L.A. is considering a similar move away from LAHSA. Mayor Karen Bass and her election rival Councilmember Nithya Raman both say the city needs its own independent homeless system.
In the current budget year, 73% of LAHSA’s nearly $500 million budget comes from the city of L.A., 20% from the federal government and 4% from L.A. County.
What’s next?
LAHSA said it will continue to fulfill its ongoing federal responsibilities “until those duties transition to a new entity or entities.”
The agency has agreements with the city of L.A. to manage programs and contracts through June 30, 2027.
The county’s Department of Homeless Services and Housing is applying to take over all four of LAHSA’s federal responsibilities, according to county officials. The city of L.A. is currently applying for at least two of those roles, putting the city and county in competition with each other.
“Moving forward, another entity will be leading the [Continuum of Care], which I believe should be the county, given our ability to most effectively administer contracts for our region,” Horvath said Tuesday.
Other organizations have also expressed interest. Better Angels, a homelessness nonprofit led by former L.A. mayoral candidate Adam Miller, contacted the court seeking to apply.
Applicants looking to take over LAHSA’s federal roles have until Sept. 25 to submit applications, but had to communicate their intent to apply by Sept. 15.
The applicants selected by L.A.’s regional Continuum of Care Board will have to be reviewed by HUD and the federal court.
