Pacific Coast Highway reopens months after devastating California wildfires in time for Memorial Day
MALIBU, Calif. – Nearly six months after wildfires erupted in Southern California, closing the Pacific Coast Highway in Los Angeles and burning thousands of acres, the iconic West Coast highway has reopened to the public.
The highway closed in early January after the Palisades fire spread, engulfing both sides of it in massive flames. Homes and businesses along the highway were destroyed, and the road itself was in ruins.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the reopening on Thursday, saying: "In California, we get stuff done, period. We're opening the PCH back up early, with more lanes before Angelenos hit the road this Memorial Day."
The highway is now open between Santa Monica and Malibu.
Newsom thanked the work of construction and road crews, as well as the Army Corps of Engineers, for getting the road back into drivable shape.
Watch: Malibu Beach Footage Shows Rows Of Homes Destroyed By Palisades Fire
Video from Jan. 8 showed flames burning through buildings as cars raced along the highway to evade the fires.
"All of PCH is on fire right now," Alexandra Datig said in the video as she drove down the highway. "It is like driving through hell."
The Palisades fire burned for over three weeks before firefighters reached complete containment on Jan. 31, according to CAL Fire data.
How Did The Los Angeles-area Wildfires Rapidly Spread?
After the fire had been extinguished, back-to-back atmospheric rivers brought flooding rain and mudslides to the burn scars of the Palisades and Eaton fires, including along the PCH.
Rainfall rates in the area were estimated to be at least an inch per hour, far more than what areas burned by the wildfires could absorb. The result was floods and debris flows.
Mapped: What A Barrage Of 56 West Coast Atmospheric River Events Looks Like
Datig again was there, showing the aftermath of a Feb. 13 storm on the highway near the Malibu city limits as mud and debris from burn scars swept across the road.
How To Watch Fox Weather
After the storms subsided, clean-up began. The famous highway was only open to residents, construction workers and emergency personnel as mud and debris were removed and the highway was repaired.
In April, Newsom set a goal to have the highway reopened by the end of May, ahead of summer.
"The reopening of Pacific Coast Highway marks an important step forward in our recovery effort in the Palisades, which is on track to be the fastest in state history," said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Security will remain in place at the neighborhood level of the highway to protect the safety and security of the Palisades neighborhoods, Bass and Newsom said.
More than 100 crews continue working to remove debris from the Palisades neighborhood each day.Original article source: Pacific Coast Highway reopens months after devastating California wildfires in time for Memorial Day
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