On February 13, 2025, a powerful debris flow triggered by heavy rainfall swept a Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) vehicle off Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) in Malibu, California, plunging it into the Pacific Ocean. The dramatic incident, captured on video, occurred in the aftermath of the devastating Palisades Fire, which left burn scars highly susceptible to mudslides. The LAFD firefighter inside the vehicle escaped with minor injuries, but the event underscored the compounding dangers of wildfires and storms in fire-ravaged Los Angeles.
The Incident: A Firefighter’s Narrow Escape
At approximately 5:02 p.m. on Thursday, February 13, 2025, an LAFD firefighter was driving an SUV along Big Rock Drive near PCH in Malibu when a massive debris flow roared down the hillside. Fueled by an atmospheric river dumping up to 6.34 inches of rain across Los Angeles County, the torrent of mud, rocks, and debris swept the vehicle off the road, down a cliff, and into the ocean surf. Dashcam and broadcast footage showed the SUV rolling onto its side, battered by waves and black, caustic water from the Palisades Fire burn scar.
“Fortunately, the member was able to exit his vehicle and reach safety with minor injuries,” said LAFD Public Information Officer Erik Scott in a statement posted on X. The firefighter, whose identity was not disclosed, climbed out during a lull in the surf and scaled a fence to reach the highway, as captured by NBC News producer Stephanie Fuerte and reporter Andrew Chesky. He was transported to a local hospital as a precaution, with no serious injuries reported. The wrecked SUV remained stuck in the surf into the night, complicating recovery efforts due to ongoing rain and debris flows.
Context: The Palisades Fire and Storm Aftermath
The Palisades Fire, ignited in January 2025, was one of Los Angeles’ most destructive wildfires, burning 23,248 acres and destroying 6,831 structures across Pacific Palisades and Malibu. Driven by fierce Santa Ana winds, it left vast burn scars—areas stripped of vegetation and prone to erosion. These scars, including those in the Santa Monica Mountains near Malibu, became ticking time bombs during heavy rainfall, as soil destabilized by fire can no longer absorb water effectively.
On February 13, a powerful atmospheric river brought torrential rain, with rates of 0.75 to 1.25 inches per hour, exceeding the 0.5 inches per hour threshold for debris flows. The National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Warning at 4 p.m., citing a “high risk for life-threatening debris flow” in burn areas. The storm, described as one of the season’s strongest, dumped 6.34 inches of rain countywide, triggering mudslides across the Palisades Fire zone, including at Los Flores Canyon Road and Duke’s Malibu restaurant, where floodwater seeped indoors.
The Big Rock Drive incident was part of a broader crisis, with PCH closed from Chautauqua Boulevard to Carbon Beach Terrace due to flooding and mudslides. Caltrans crews used bulldozers to clear sludge, but concrete K-rails meant to block debris were overwhelmed. Nearby, the Eaton Fire burn scar in Altadena saw roads submerged under 3 feet of mud, illustrating the region-wide impact.
Response and Community Impact
The LAFD, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and Caltrans mounted a rapid response. Sheriff’s deputies had distributed over 6,500 sandbags and 7,500 feet of concrete barriers before the storm, but the debris flow’s force was overwhelming. Evacuation warnings covered 20,000 residents in the Palisades burn area, with mandatory orders for 5,000 others, including parts of Sierra Madre affected by the Eaton Fire. All Malibu schools closed on February 13 and 14, and a 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. curfew was enforced in evacuation zones.
Sheriff Robert Luna warned residents against staying in evacuated areas, stating, “Nothing back home is worth your life. Debris may impede roads, and we may not be able to reach you.” The Red Cross opened an evacuation center at Westwood Recreation Center, while 211LA partnered with Airbnb and Hilton to provide emergency housing. The National Guard staffed nine checkpoints to secure burn areas, and Malibu’s Emergency Operations Center hotline supported residents.
Broader Implications and Recovery Challenges
The LAFD vehicle incident highlighted the cascading risks of wildfires followed by storms. Burn scars increase debris flow risks for years, as seen in the 2018 Montecito mudslides after the Thomas Fire. The Palisades Fire’s $28–$53.8 billion in property damage, per a Southern California Leadership Council report, already strained recovery efforts. The February storm added economic losses, with businesses like Duke’s Malibu facing flood damage and PCH closures disrupting commerce.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass emphasized pre-storm preparations, including clearing catch basins and deploying sandbags, but X posts criticized systemic issues, like underfunded infrastructure and inadequate fire break maintenance. Some users argued that Malibu’s narrow canyon roads exacerbate evacuation and response challenges. Others questioned why more debris flow barriers weren’t installed post-fire, given Malibu’s history of mudslides.
