Golden State Today

The State of California, in collaboration with federal and local partners, is making significant progress in wildfire cleanup efforts. This week marks the beginning of structural debris removal from the Eaton and Palisades fires, described as the fastest large-scale debris removal operation in modern state history.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will start removing debris from private properties on Tuesday morning in Altadena and later that day in Pacific Palisades. These operations are being closely coordinated with local officials to ensure efficiency.

"The speed of this cleanup is unprecedented, and it’s a testament to local, state, and federal government’s commitment to getting families back on their feet as quickly as possible," stated Governor Gavin Newsom. He emphasized the elimination of bureaucratic barriers to expedite recovery efforts.

The debris removal process commences just 35 days after the fires began, which is significantly quicker than similar past operations like those following the 2018 Woolsey Fire. Under Governor Newsom's leadership, California has streamlined processes to allow for faster entry into affected communities by trained crews.

In partnership with six locally affected jurisdictions, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works has been actively collecting Right-of-Entry forms from residents and developing safe haul routes for fire ash and debris transport.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is completing its task of removing hazardous household materials at a rapid pace. This step was announced last month by Governor Newsom when FEMA tasked Cal OES and EPA with this critical phase before structural debris removal could proceed.

Residents should expect an increased presence of cleanup teams as these operations continue. Agencies involved have expressed gratitude for public support and patience during these efforts to mitigate health and safety risks on impacted properties.

Since the fires erupted, Governor Newsom has led a comprehensive response involving thousands of firefighters and personnel at its peak. The state's focus remains on historic recovery initiatives to ensure Los Angeles communities receive necessary support.

Fire survivors interested in joining the federal debris removal program can register at a Disaster Recovery Center or online at ca.gov/LAFires.