Our Mission

Topanga Volunteer Fire & Forestry (TVFF) was re-established in 2025 after a series of hard-won lessons from recent Southern California wildfires—most notably the 2018 Woolsey Fire and the Palisades Fire of 2025, which forced evacuations throughout the Santa Monica Mountains and underscored Evacuation Zone 1’s vulnerability.

Our mission is to protect lives, homes, and natural resources across Topanga Canyon and neighboring wildland-urban interface communities in the Topanga Zone 1 Evacuation Zone (Top O' Topanga, Viewridge, Summit Pointe, and Woodland Crest Neighborhoods) by augmenting Los Angeles County Fire and other first-response agencies. We pursue that mission through three pillars:

Wildland-Urban Interface Firefighting
- All volunteer firefighters will be trained and certified under the California Office of the State Fire Marshal / State Fire Training (SFT) curriculum, with additional coursework from NWCG and FEMA.
- TVFF crews will be able to assist with initial attack, structure defense, traffic control, and post-fire mop-up when requested by the Agency Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).
Forestry & Fuel Management
- Year-round programs for defensible-space inspections, brush clearance, and shaded-fuel-break maintenance along critical evacuation routes.
- Collaboration with local land-conservancy partners to restore native vegetation and reduce invasive fuel loads heightened during the Palisades Fire.
Community Resilience & Preparedness
- Home-hardening workshops, CERT-style readiness classes, and neighborhood evacuation drills tailored to Topanga’s steep canyon terrain.
- “Ready, Set, Go Topanga” outreach keeps residents informed via SMS/email alerts, social media, and in-person town halls.

TVFF is not a substitute for dialing 911.

Instead, we provide rapid community-based support before professional resources arrive and extended assistance afterward with limited medical aid, search-and-rescue, and welfare checks for vulnerable neighbors.

Rooted in the belief that neighbors helping neighbors saves property and lives, TVFF stands ready to serve Topanga today while building a fire-resilient, environmentally balanced tomorrow.

The Topanga Volunteer Fire & Forestry Department is dedicated to protecting life and property. We strive to provide the highest level of emergency services to our community and ensure public safety.