The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Monday, Feb. 10, announced it will start with Phase-2 debris removal at private residential properties in the Eaton and Palisades wildfire impact zones.
The announcement comes on the heels of early cleanup work last week on public facilities, such as schools. But the movement of crews to private homes was touted as a “major milestone” in the wildfire recovery.
“This mission is personal for us,” said Maj. Gen. Jason Kelly, deputy commanding general for Civil and Emergency Operations. “Our teams on the ground are bringing the same urgency, precision and care to residential properties that we do with all our civil works and military construction missions around the world. We are grateful for the strong collaboration with FEMA, the state of California, Los Angeles County and the local jurisdictions impacted by the fire, and we remain committed to supporting these impacted communities every step of the way.”
The effort includes the state of California and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, along with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, and six local jurisdictions impacted by the fire.
Public Works has been working with wildfire survivors to collect rights of entry, establish safe debris haul routes, and coordinate the responsible transport and disposal of fire ash and other fire-related debris.
The first phase of the debris has been moving along in recent weeks, by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Agency-contracted crews are removing household hazardous materials, paving the way for this next phase.
“Clearing debris is the first step toward recovery, and we are committed to helping residents in communities across LA County rebuild,” said Col. Eric Swenson, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Recovery Field Office. “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is proud to support this mission alongside our federal, state and local partners to ensure families return home and begin the rebuilding process as quickly as possible.”
In the announcement, officials cautioned residents to expect increased truck traffic in impacted neighborhoods and along debris removal routes to local landfills.
Officials expect all eligible properties enrolled in the federal debris-removal program will be cleared within a year, with a majority expected to be completed well before that deadline.
Homeowners still interested can sign up for the program by visiting a Disaster Recovery Center or visiting the county’s recovery website at: recovery.lacounty.gov.