The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Monday, March 24, issued an updated Health Officer Order that requires property owners in the Palisades and Eaton burn scars to “use best management practices for dust control,” if they have not opted into the federal government’s cleanup program.
The order requires property owners not eligible for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Phase 2 debris removal to control dust during debris-removal, transport and disposal of materials from their properties.
Public Health’s order comes amid a massive Corps of Engineers clean-up in the Eaton and Palisades burn areas, where thousands of homes were destroyed and severely damaged in the Jan. 7 firestorms.
But Corps of Engineers crews and subcontractors are removing debris and ash only from the property of owners who “opt-in” to the no-cost clean-up, enabling the workers to enter a property to remove the debris and clear the property for rebuilding.
Such work, official say, is done under protocols that monitor a property to ensure potentially hazardous dust is not scattered in the air during the work.
Col. Sonny B. Avichal, of the Corps of Engineers, said on Monday that Corps crews were beginning to use soil tackifier, for those who have opted in.
He said the material is a non-toxic, non-hazardous material that stabilizes the soil, so that ash won’t get blown by the wind.
But those who opt out and have chose their own contractors to cleanup their property are subject the order issued Monday.
County officials said property owners or their contractors must adhere to the following dust control measures, according to the order:
General Dust Control Measures
Water and/or an approved dust palliative must be used at each site to prevent dust nuisances.Before removal, all areas of ash and debris must be pre-watered using a fine spray nozzle to prevent splashing.
Fire Debris Transportation
All fire debris must be transported to an approved landfill in a manner that prevents dust from escaping.Loads must be wetted and covered with a tarp, including concrete and metal debris.Ash and loose fire debris must be fully encapsulated with 10-mil plastic prior to loading and transport.End-of-Day Debris Management
Any fire debris not removed or disposed of by the end of each workday must be consolidated, sufficiently wetted, and/or covered to prevent offsite migration of dust or contaminants.Watering Dry Soil Areas
All visibly dry, disturbed soil surface areas must be watered during work to minimize dust emissions.
Trackout Prevention and Cleanup
Property owners or contractors must prevent dirt, dust, or debris from being tracked out onto public or private roads.
If trackout occurs, cleanup must be done immediately, especially at site entrances and exits.All visible trackout must be removed at the end of each workday.
Cleanup must include adequate wetting before or during the cleanup by either misting and manually sweeping or using a rotary brush or broom. The use of blower devices or dry rotary brushes/brooms to remove trackout is strictly prohibited.
Public Health requires all property owners and contractors to follow these measures to protect community health and ensure fire debris removal is conducted safely and responsibly.