LA County Officials Detail Altadena Fire Debris Removal Process At Monday Community Meeting

Los Angeles County officials detailed a comprehensive debris removal plan for Altadena’s fire-affected properties at a community meeting Monday afternoon, outlining a two-phase approach beginning with Environmental Protection Agency hazardous waste removal before proceeding to general debris cleanup.

“I would like to thank you all for joining us this afternoon. I’m hosting these meetings regularly so that you can get your questions answered and we felt this was the best way to go about doing it,” said Supervisor Barger. “I am pushing and I’m confident it will not take 18 months to get the rebuilding process started. We’re going to rebuild, we’re going to rebuild Altadena, and we’re going to rebuild the community so that we can all once again celebrate such an incredible, incredible place.”

Beginning Jan. 28, residents can opt into a free government-run cleanup program or choose to manage debris removal independently. At the Board of Supervisors meeting, Barger will introduce “a motion that is to cut the red tape and eliminate the bureaucracy. When it comes to rebuilding, I make that commitment to you.”

The Environmental Protection Agency is conducting Phase One, removing hazardous materials including asbestos, lead, chemicals, and lithium batteries. No further debris removal can be done on properties until Phase One is completed.

For Phase Two, the County will organize properties into quadrants for efficient cleanup. The EPA is standing up 60 teams between the Palisades and Eden fire, roughly 30 teams in each area, with at least 10 people per team capable of clearing about 10 parcels daily, working seven days a week.

The work includes removing damaged structures, hazardous trees, ash, and contaminated soil. Teams will remove six inches of soil from ash areas, demolish unsafe structures, and install erosion control measures. Residents can choose whether to keep or remove their foundations.

Property owners have until March 31, 2025, to opt into the government program through a Right of Entry form available at recovery.lacounty.gov or at the local Disaster Recovery Center. Proof of property ownership is required.

For those choosing private cleanup, Past noted: “Cal Recycle says that the average cost for removal of debris from a home runs about $170,000.”

One community member spoke up and emphasized the importance of salvaging valuable items before debris removal: “There’s a lot of precious items that could be recovered in the rubble, so as some neighbors have already found, there are surprising invaluable items that are intact within our homes, even those that are totally burned.”

Environmental Protection Agency representative Steve Kellogg announced that in the coming day, a real-time tracking map will be available on recovery.lacounty.gov showing cleanup progress.

The Environmental Protection Agency will place placards on completed properties and notify owners by mail. Residents with locked gates should notify the Environmental Protection Agency hotline for coordination when teams are in their area.

Los Angeles County Health Officer Muntu Davis detailed safety requirements including wearing N95 masks, long sleeves, long pants, and closed-toe shoes. He recommended misting ash during cleanup to prevent it becoming airborne. Protective equipment is available at local libraries and disaster resource centers.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has deployed additional deputy personnel for increased patrols.

Captain Jabari Williams urged residents: “No matter how slight it is, please report it and we’ll respond as quickly as possible to deal with that.”

The County will establish a “one-stop shop” office in Altadena for rebuilding permits. Residents can begin submitting building permit applications now, even before debris removal begins. Officials are developing specific guidance for properties with varying degrees of damage.

Available resources include:

— California Department of Insurance representatives daily at the Altadena Recovery Center

— A 211 hotline for cleanup and debris removal assistance and voluntary agencies

— A virtual town hall with Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara on Jan. 30 at 5:00 p.m. through insurance.ca.gov

Supervisor Barger acknowledged concerns from renters, noting the Board “has taken swift action to protect renters that are currently even outside of Altadena protected in this case. If they have pets and they’re being denied rent, we are very laser focused on the renters.”