State Route 23 reopened in both directions Saturday, Oct. 17, restoring the key corridor between US-101 and Pacific Coast Highway after the Bryson Fire forced a two-day closure.
Caltrans District 7 announced on X that the stretch of Decker Road between Mulholland Highway and PCH was clear for traffic. The agency reported the Bryson Fire was 61% contained at the time of reopening.
The fire ignited at 4:41 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, near Encinal Canyon Road west of Mulholland Highway in Malibu, according to the Cal Fire incident page. It burned 147 acres in Los Angeles County under powerful Santa Ana winds that prompted Red Flag Warnings across the region.
Caltrans initially closed SR-23 at Encinal Canyon Road on Oct. 15, then expanded the closure to cover both directions between PCH and Mulholland Highway by Oct. 16. The City of Malibu listed closures still in effect Saturday morning at Kanan Road and Mulholland Highway, and at Mulholland Highway and Westlake Boulevard.
No structures were lost. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Oct. 16 that no structures had been damaged or destroyed, according to the Westside Current. One firefighter was injured. As of the evening of Oct. 16, officials said 7,221 structures remained threatened.
By Saturday evening, county officials reported all fire-related road closures had been lifted and two evacuation zones were downgraded to advisories, the Westside Current reported. The National Weather Service's Red Flag Warning for Los Angeles County expired at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Ventura County Supervisor Jeff Gorell said Oct. 16 that the fire was entirely within Los Angeles County and did not threaten Ventura County, though smoke was visible in some areas.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office managed the response under unified command. Cal Fire reported 721 personnel, 65 engines, 20 crews and two helicopters assigned to the fire.
The fire's cause remains under investigation, according to Cal Fire.
