LA County Officials Urge Residents to Meet March 31 Debris Removal Deadline

Los Angeles County officials are pressing remaining Altadena fire victims to opt into the Army Corps of Engineers debris removal program before the March 31 deadline. At a Wednesday press conference marking the two-month anniversary of the Los Angeles County wildfires, officials announced a new hazardous tree removal waiver while reporting that over 75% of Altadena residents have already submitted their forms.

“Residents deserve a sense of ownership over the entire debris removal process,” said the County Board Chair Kathryn Barger at the press conference. “I want Altadena residents to know that when the debris is removed from your property, you’ll be able to have full control over what trees are taken out and which you want to stay.”

The newly introduced hazardous tree removal waiver allows property owners to specify exactly which trees they want to keep, even those identified as hazardous. The form is now available at recovery.lacounty.gov, which also features an interactive graphic breaking down the debris removal process and timeline to help residents understand safety protocols and verify what will be removed.

Colonel Eric R. Swenson from the United States Army Corps of Engineers explained that a hazardous tree is defined as “any tree within the ash footprint that poses an immediate threat to lives, public health and safety or property within its fall range.” He cautioned that refusing hazardous tree removal may impact a homeowner’s ability to obtain building permits.

“Local permitting agencies determine rebuild requirements and remaining hazardous tree could be a factor in that decision,” Swenson explained. “Property owners who opt to retain hazardous trees through the waiver assume responsibility for any future safety risks posed by the tree.”

The Corps has introduced a yellow marking system at the base of trees along with yellow ribbons to signify trees that have been waived from removal. Officials discouraged residents from self-marking trees with paint, warning that toxic paint can harm trees.

When residents opt into the program, they can expect a phone call three to five days in advance from the Corps’ call center, followed by a second call one day prior, and then a 360-site assessment on the day crews arrive. These are all opportunities for homeowners to interact with crews about specific concerns regarding their property.

“We are making great progress here in the community,” Swenson said. “If you’re out and about driving around either Altadena, Sierra Madre, Pasadena, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, or any of the unincorporated areas that were impacted by these fires, you’re going to start to see cleared lots, that visible sign that the fire is now removed from that parcel and over the next couple of weeks, the number of those cleared lots is going to increase drastically. I just ask you, you be a little bit patient with our crews.”

To date, the Corps has received 2,212 rights of entry forms, with slightly more than half for the Eaton Fire impact area and the remainder for the Palisades fire area. Primary fire debris has been cleared from about 322 properties so far, with 109 properties having completed the full debris removal process. Of the 4,499 properties deferred by Environmental Protection Agency, the Corps has cleared 1,997 in its second round of household hazardous material collection.

Supervisor Lindsey Horvath announced three active relief funds for households, small businesses, and workers impacted by the fires, all with application deadlines of March 12th. Los Angeles County has invested $53.9 million in these relief funds, with $32.2 million directly from the County and $21.7 million from philanthropic partners.

Horvath also highlighted countywide eviction protection for workers impacted by the fires who are unable to work because their places of employment were within the fire footprint. Renters must notify landlords by March 7th about their inability to pay rent, with protections for rental housing, short-term rentals, motels, and hotels extended through April 8th. Price gouging protections have also been extended, with civil penalties up to $50,000 per violation.

Residents can report price gouging by calling 1-805-938-2222 or visiting stopricegouging.dcba.lacounty.gov.

For residents still needing information, a special virtual community meeting will be held Monday, March 10th at 5:00 p.m. on the Los Angeles County YouTube channel to answer questions for renters and homeowners whose properties are still standing. Weekly community meetings are also held on Mondays as an ongoing resource.

Officials also warned about incoming rain expected to arrive in LA County through Friday morning, with rainfall totals forecast between one to three inches in foothills and mountains and a 10-20% chance of thunderstorms that could produce heavy downpours, potentially causing isolated mud flows.

“All protective measures that safeguard communities or safeguarded them during the last series of storms remain in place,” said Angela George Moody, Chief Deputy Director for Los Angeles County Public Works. “We’ve assessed these measures and made adjustments as necessary and we are ready for this storm.”

Moody advised residents to develop emergency plans, clear drainage paths, use sandbags to direct runoff and protect structures, keep trash cans and vehicles off the street, and stay tuned to local weather reports.

To report storm-related damage or schedule free mud flow assessments, residents can call Los Angeles County Public Works’ 24-hour dispatch center at 1-800-675-FOUR357.

Brandi Richard Thompson, Public Affairs Officer for Federal Emergency Management Agency Region nine, reminded residents that the deadline to apply for individual assistance is March 10th. Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance includes up to $43,600 for housing assistance (repairs, rental assistance, lodging reimbursement) and up to $43,600 for other needs assistance (personal property, transportation, medical, dental, funeral costs).

“If you receive a Federal Emergency Management Agency determination letter stating that you are ineligible, it does not always mean that you are denied assistance,” Thompson explained. “Often Federal Emergency Management Agency just needs more information from you.” Residents have 60 days to appeal and can visit Disaster Recovery Centers at UCLA Research Park West (10850 West Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles) or in Altadena (540 West Woodbury Road), open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

A Federal Emergency Management Agency webinar is scheduled for Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. to explain the registration process. To date, Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided $83 million in support to survivors in their recovery process.

Residents with questions about their debris removal submissions can call the Right of Entry hotline at 844-347-3332 for more information. County officials have implemented a rigorous verification process for reviewing right of entry submissions to protect property owners from fraud.

The County supervisor also mentioned meeting with Scott Turner, Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, to discuss recovery needs in Altadena. “He was responsive and engaged and expressed his commitment to learn more about the needs of our fire impacted communities,” the supervisor said.