Los Angeles County urges fire victims to submit right-of-entry forms as EPA, Army Corps begin cleanup

Los Angeles County officials at a press conference urged residents affected by recent fires to submit right‑of‑entry forms to join a government‑managed debris removal program and outlined how U.S. and county agencies will handle hazardous materials, general debris and rebuilding permits.

Chair Kathryn Barger of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is leading phase 1 of cleanup and that more than 600 residents had already submitted opt‑in forms in Altadena and Pacific Palisades. "These forms are a critical step to get debris cleared off residential properties, so residents can begin rebuilding," Barger said.

The county said the cleanup proceeds in two phases. Mark Pestrella, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, said phase 1 is mandatory and led by the EPA: "This phase is mandatory for all affected properties. There is no opt in or opt out for this option for this program." He gave the EPA contact as 1‑833‑798‑7372 and epalawildfiresinfo@epa.gov.

Phase 2 — general debris removal — will be managed in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Los Angeles County Public Works. Col. Eric Swenson, recovery field office commander for the Army Corps, said crews are standing by and that actual removal timing depends on how quickly the county turns ROEs over to the Corps. "Once a crew shows up to a property ... depending on the complexity of that site it could take 2 to 10 days to clear the debris from that site and we certainly expect to be ... done this whole process in less than a year," Swenson said.

Pestrella and Swenson described residents' two options for phase 2: opt in to the government‑managed, no‑cost program by submitting a completed ROE (recommended by county staff), or opt out and hire a private, qualified contractor that meets Army Corps standards, follows county‑approved haul routes and disposes debris at county‑approved landfills. Contractor qualification information and a county hotline are posted at recovery.lacounty.gov; the county phone number given at the press conference was 844‑347‑3332.

Pestrella explained how insurance will be handled for residents who opt in: the county will collect the portion of an insurance policy designated for debris removal only after work is completed and the property is certified by the Army Corps. "If you opt in, but later withdraw from the program before any work has been done on your property, again, no insurance funds will be collected," he said.

Supervisor Lindsey Horvath described on‑the‑ground access and safety steps for returning residents, including resident access passes and personal protective equipment (PPE) distribution: "Escorts are no longer required, but you do need a resident access pass at 2 checkpoints... Los Angeles County Department of Public Health provides PPE at these checkpoints." Horvath urged residents to use PPE and to coordinate with neighbors when deciding whether to opt in or hire private contractors so work can proceed more quickly for a neighborhood.

County officials provided additional operational details: ROE forms are available now at recovery.lacounty.gov and at disaster recovery centers and will be accepted through March 31, 2025; if a property owner does not submit an ROE by that date, the county said it will assume the owner opted out. The county named four existing county landfills as receiving sites for processed debris and said haul routes will be set in coordination with local city leaders to limit community disruption.

Officials also addressed community concerns about health and transport of ash. The county said crews will use a wet‑method to keep ash from becoming airborne, place ash in heavy‑duty liners and tarp trucks for transport, and separate recyclables and vehicle processing on site. For questions about EPA phase 1 staging locations and storage, officials directed residents to the EPA contacts listed above.

On policy and permitting, Barger said the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion co‑authored by her and Supervisor Lindsey Horvath to reduce regulatory hurdles for rebuilding. County staff said building plans can be submitted now and one‑stop permitting centers are being established in impacted cities and in Altadena to coordinate reviews. Officials noted that a governor's executive order will allow some flexibility for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and that county planning staff, including Amy Bodak of the Department of Regional Planning, are working to issue guidance for residents who want to place prefab ADUs on their lots while rebuilding. Pestrella cautioned that land must be cleared and certified safe before an ADU can be sited.

Sheriff Robert Luna said investigations into the fires remain ongoing and encouraged residents to share any video or information that could help investigators. Kevin McGowan, director of the county Office of Emergency Management, said prior after‑action recommendations from the Woolsey Fire have been incorporated into implementation plans and will be part of the current after‑action review for these incidents.

The county announced ongoing public outreach: weekly Wednesday 8 a.m. press briefings, a county public‑health town hall, and a county town hall scheduled for Wednesday, February 5. Officials invited media and residents with follow‑up questions to meet one‑on‑one after the press conference and to use the county and EPA contact information for property‑specific updates.