Los Angeles County: Army Corps debris removal underway; county urges residents to submit right-of-entry forms

Residential debris clearance is underway in Altadena and parts of the Palisades as Los Angeles County, state and federal partners scale up post‑wildfire cleanup and recovery.

County Supervisor Kathryn Barger announced the start of residential debris clearance and thanked federal, state and local agencies and community members for their coordination. “This was made possible because of the incredible work of our local, state, and federal agencies, and most importantly, due to the responsiveness and participation of our community members,” Barger said.

Why it matters: Clearing fire debris is a prerequisite for safe rebuilds and reduces public‑health risks from ash and soot. County leaders urged eligible homeowners to complete right‑of‑entry (ROE) forms so the Army Corps of Engineers can remove hazardous materials quickly.

What officials said about signups and the removal program Mark Pastrella, director of Public Works and chief engineer for the Los Angeles County Flood Control District, said the county has received 8,336 ROE submittals and that about 98% of those homeowners have opted into the Army Corps removal option. “So 98% of those have opted into having the Army Corps of Engineers, in coordination with the County of Los Angeles, remove the debris from their property,” Pastrella said. He added the ROE deadline is March 31 and gave a help line and website for assistance.

The Army Corps’ private property removal approach and sampling Colonel Eric Swenson of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told reporters the Corps will not conduct soil sampling on private lots in the Eaton and Palisades fire areas under its private property debris removal program. “For this ... we are not conducting soil sampling. What we are doing is we’re removing 6 inches of topsoil that’s within the ash footprint,” Swenson said, adding the Corps will remove foundations for property owners who opt in.

Swenson said the Corps generally does not remobilize to a lot once it demobilizes after completing its standard lot work, except where eligible debris was missed and a return visit is required.

Public‑health assessment work Dr. Ferrer, representing county public health, said the department has an ongoing, countywide assessment plan for air, water and soil that will be updated as partners contribute data. “We have a website that actually lists the assessment plan for both air, water, and soil. That’s an ongoing plan. This is a living document,” Dr. Ferrer said, and added the county expects a public dashboard of results in the coming weeks.

Price‑gouging enforcement Supervisor Lindsay Horvath said the Board of Supervisors recently took action to increase price‑gouging penalties and expand enforcement. “Yesterday, our board took additional action to affirm our decision, increasing the penalties for price gouging up to $50,000 and enhancing our enforcement. This is effective countywide,” she said.

Permitting and rebuilding support County officials said rebuild permits are available now for unincorporated areas. Pastrella said one‑stop centers are open at the Altadena Local Assistance Center (540 W. Woodbury Road) and at a Calabasas location (26600 W. Agoura Road, Suite 110) to accept building permit submittals. He said the county will begin issuing single, countywide permits for property owners opting to use private contractors starting Thursday via the county enterprise permitting system (EPIC LA).

Health advisory for returning residents Officials repeated a public‑health advisory: residents returning to properties before cleanup may be exposed to hazardous ash, soot and debris and should use appropriate personal protective equipment or avoid sites while removals occur. “Fire debris can contain asbestos, lead, hazardous chemicals, and fine particulate matter. Please exercise caution,” Horvath said.

What remains unresolved or under discussion Reporters pressed the Army Corps about historical cases where soil testing after initial removal found lingering contamination. The Corps reiterated it will not do soil sampling for this private property program and will not typically remobilize after demobilization unless eligible debris was missed. The county’s public‑health director said countywide assessment and sampling strategies are under way and will include public reporting.

Ending note Officials reiterated multiple help resources and websites, including recovery.lacounty.gov and publichealth.lacounty.gov, and gave phone lines for in‑person assistance and ROE help. Pastrella and other county leaders urged eligible residents to make a timely decision to opt into or opt out of the Army Corps removal program before the stated deadline.