Malibu schools and PCH reopen following Palisades fires

Tuesday, Feb. 18 marked the day that all four Malibu schools reopened, as the air quality and road status was deemed safe for students to return back to school for in-person learning. Due to the fires plaguing Los Angeles county earlier this year, all four Malibu schools, Malibu Elementary School, Webster Elementary School, Malibu Middle School and Malibu High School, have been closed since the end of the 2024 fall semester on Dec. 20.

With school back in session, road closures in the area are beginning to alleviate. School buses, Malibu residents in the burn area and transport for essential businesses were granted permits to access the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) beginning Feb. 20. As PCH remains an “active work zone,” minimal permits are being issued in order to limit traffic and ensure safety across the highway. 

Samo student and Malibu resident Peter Jarvis (’25) shared how his commute has changed since the opening of PCH. 

“I was able to get a permit on PCH, so that's nice. It was taking a long time before, but now it's not so bad,” Jarvis said. “It's kind of crazy to go up along the road and see all the houses that burned down.”

Patrick Conlin / Contributor