The first phase of the wildfires debris removal process, which involves the removal of toxic items from destroyed properties, is on track to be complete by the end of February, Mayor Karen Bass said Friday.
The Phase 1 work by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was initially expected to take up to three months, but Bass said at a Friday news conference marking one month since the start of the Eaton and Palisades fires that the EPA now estimates the work will be completed by the end of the month.
After Phase 1 is complete at a property, the Army Corps of Engineers can start Phase 2 of debris removal, which officially began earlier this week at five Pasadena Unified School District campuses that were destroyed in the Eaton Fire, for residents who opted into the free removal program. The first Right of Entry forms completed by wildfire victims were delivered to the Army Corps of Engineers this week, marking a milestone in the wildfire recovery process.
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The forms allow the Corps to begin clearing debris from residential properties destroyed in the fires as soon as those properties are cleared of hazardous materials by the EPA in Phase 1. Residents can opt into or out of the free Army Corps debris removal program.
On Thursday night, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger announced that the county Department of Public Works had officially delivered the first batch of signed "Right of Entry" forms completed by wildfire victims to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin toured both the Eaton and Palisades fire burn zones on Thursday. He said the EPA is doing everything in its power to meet a 30-day goal to complete Phase 1.
In an update Thursday, the EPA said it completed surveys at more than 7,800 properties, including 4,600 in the Eaton Fire zone and 3,100 in the Palisades Fire area. Hazardous materials removal was completed at 1,150 properties, including the removal of 274 electric vehicles and bulk energy storage systems.
The wildfire debris removal process is considered an unprecedented lithium-ion battery cleanup. The batteries are found in EVs, laptops, cellphones and other electronics.
When damaged and overheated, lithium-ion batteries can ignite and even explode. Residual heat can trigger a reaction that can lead to combustion, a danger that can develop over days, weeks or months.
The batteries are one major reason there are stringent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements that are prioritized in the post-wildfire cleanup process.
There are about 1,180 EPA personnel in the field, an increase from abou 480 last week. Eighty teams are clearing hazardous debris from more than 13,000 residential and 250 commercial properties, the agency said.
"Many Californians have lost their homes and livelihoods in the recent wildfires," Zeldin said. "They have faced an unspeakable tragedy. Our EPA staff is on the ground working quickly to get as many properties cleared of hazardous materials as rapidly and safely as possible. We have nearly 1,200 personnel in the field doing their part to aid the cleanup process. We will recover, and we will rebuild."
Bass, who has faced criticism over the city's handling of the fires -- including why a major water reservoir in the Palisades area was out of service for months ahead of the fire areas and questions about the LAFD's pre-deployment of resources ahead of the Jan. 7 windstorm that fanned flames -- spoke about recovery efforts at the Friday morning news conference at City Hall. She said the city has taken steps to expedite the recovery process and speed rebuilding.
"So over the next 60 days, we are going to make further progress through an all-hands-on-deck effort," Bass said. "We are continuing to identify antiquated red tape restrictions so Palisades neighbors can quickly rebuild. We will work with our state partners to change the law where it's needed to streamline the rebuilding process, and starting next week, we will open a one-stop rebuilding office where residents can go for every question related to rebuilding and process their permit applications."
The Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire in the Altadena area were fully contained one week ago. At least 17 people were killed in the 14,000-acre Eaton Fire, which destroyed 9,418 structures and damaged 1,073 more. At least 12 people were killed in the Palisades Fire, which burned 23,448 acres, destroyed 6,837 structures and damaged 1,017 others.
The cause of both fires, which began while the region was under a red flag warning for critical fire danger due to a historic wind event that saw gusts of 80 to 100 mph, remains under investigation.
The Los Angeles County Office of Medical Examiner has positively identified 18 of the 29 people confirmed dead in the two wildfires.
The UCLA Anderson Forecast released a report Tuesday estimated that the two fires caused property damage and capital losses ranging between $95 billion and $164 billion, with insured losses at $75 billion.
