City, FEMA and federal crews vow rapid cleanup while residents press for safer staging, faster claims

Councilwoman Tracy Park opened the Los Angeles City Council ad hoc committee on LA Recovery on Jan. 28 by laying out the scale of the disaster and the committee’s mission: “On January 7, a fire broke out in Palisades Highlands, fueled by hurricane level winds… the fire burned over 23,000 acres…and destroyed almost 7,000 structures,” she told the committee.

The first meeting brought federal, state and city recovery leaders together to outline work already underway and the next milestones for public health and private-property cleanup. Curtis Brown, the Federal Coordinating Officer for FEMA, said the agency has “over 500 FEMA staff deployed here” and has approved more than $62 million in individual assistance as the agency also operates transitional sheltering assistance hotels for displaced households.

The City, EPA and the Army Corps described a two-step debris program. EPA is leading an initial Phase 1 that removes household hazardous materials (HHM) and batteries from burned parcels and has reconned thousands of properties. EPA Region 9 emergency manager Mike Montgomery told the committee crews are using collection points and hazardous‑materials teams and said the agency “sample[s] them before. We sample them after,” adding, “we don’t…leave no trace. We leave them better.”

FEMA and state partners have assigned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to Phase 2 private property debris removal (PPDR). Colonel Eric Swenson, Recovery Field Office commander for USACE, told the committee he expects a large workload: “In 2025, I’m gonna clear approximately 5,246 properties in 1 year. That’s approximately 16 parcels per day.” He stressed USACE can begin Phase 2 only after EPA completes Phase 1 on a parcel and the owner returns a validated right‑of‑entry (ROE) form.

Officials urged property owners to register: county and federal teams have made ROE forms available and the Army Corps and county set a deadline for returning ROEs — the county reminded owners it will accept forms through March 31, 2025. FEMA and USACE said parcels that do not opt in by that schedule may require the city or county to pursue alternate cleanup or enforcement steps.

Staging and “collection point” sites triggered strong public concern. Councilwoman Park said she “could not disagree more” with the selection of Will Rogers State Beach and Topanga Creek for HHM staging and battery sorting, and EPA agreed to hold a town hall. EPA staff said the sites were chosen to meet operational needs — flat ground, transport access, fencing and air monitoring — and noted the agency operates similar centers in other coastal incidents.

Lithium‑ion batteries and electric vehicles complicated logistics: FEMA issued mission assignments to the Department of Defense to supply hazmat teams, flatbeds and wreckers for EV removal; FEMA staff told the committee the DOD assets would begin operations in mid‑February.

City departments outlined concurrent work to limit runoff, restore water and power and prepare for rebuilding. Janice Quinones, CEO and chief engineer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, said DWP is working on two priorities: restoring power and clearing the “do not drink” water advisory. She said DWP is “working towards a goal of having nearly all customers, if not all, restored by this Sunday” (temporary repairs and new poles), and that the advisory will be lifted only after staged flushing, 72‑hour stagnation testing and laboratory sampling in each pressure zone.

The committee heard that the California Division of Drinking Water’s 2024 regulation triggers more extensive testing after fires exceeding 300 acres; DWP said that rule—which was adopted after Northern California wildfires—requires a methodical zone‑by‑zone process and may mean water quality clearance will take weeks, not days.

LADWP also described damage to infrastructure and the San Ynez reservoir floating cover. Quinones said contractors found a tear and holes in the reservoir cover; repair work is planned and the agency expects the tank back in service in mid‑April. DWP officials warned homeowners not to drain pools into storm drains until officials issue a coordinated plan to avoid overloading sewer or treatment systems.

Public commenters pressed officials about insurance payouts and frontline logistics. Several residents described total loss of homes and asked the council to press insurers and to streamline content payments. United House LA and local tenant‑defense organizations told the committee that tenant protection funding and Measure ULA programs are already moving to help displaced renters, and urged care if the city reprograms Measure ULA funds.

The committee recorded a set of administrative votes and policy steps at the meeting and directed additional reporting: the City Administrative Officer agreed to post quarterly written updates on recovery costs and reimbursements; the Bureau of Engineering and BOE partners were asked to report back on debris‑flow and mudslide mitigation plans; and EWDD was instructed to provide quarterly results on worker placements and services tied to emergency grants.

What’s next: Phase 1 HHM removal is underway; USACE has estimated a one‑year goal for Phase 2 PPDR once ROEs and EPA clearances are in hand. FEMA encouraged survivors to register (disasterassistance.gov or the FEMA helpline). Committee members set deadlines for report‑backs on several items and pledged further community meetings on staging, water testing and reuse of debris materials.

Residents and neighborhood leaders left the meeting with clear asks — faster, easier insurance payouts, assurance that staging centers won’t harm beaches or coastal ecosystems, tighter rules on contractors and clear timelines for debris removal and water testing — and with contact points for federal and city programs already in motion.