Board asks state and federal partners for aid as county outlines wildfire recovery needs

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 on Jan. 21 to ask legislative advocates to pursue state and federal assistance for recovery from this month’s Palisades and Eaton wildfires.

Supervisor Horvath, who introduced the motion, said the fires produced “unprecedented” destruction and urged the county to press Sacramento and Washington, D.C., to make additional resources available quickly. "The costs that will be incurred to clear debris and make our land developable once again are astronomical," she said.

Why it matters: Officials said the county needs immediate help for debris removal, hazardous-waste assessments, public-health protections and temporary housing. County staff described a multiagency cleanup process that will include federal, state and local partners and urged residents to follow health guidance when they return to burn areas.

What officials told the board

- Fire response and recovery: "We're still in response mode," said Chief Maroney of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, adding that the county will move to recovery operations after full containment and will coordinate permitting and rebuilding with other county agencies. He said the department and the sheriff's department have been searching destroyed homes for victims and supporting community reentry activities at fire stations.

- Federal and state assistance process: Director McGowan (county emergency management/operations staff) said the usual route for federal support starts with a presidential major disaster declaration and noted that when such a declaration is approved it opens categories of assistance "from debris removal to reimbursements and emergency response costs" and may include individual assistance for residents. She said prior disasters have included supplemental programs beyond the routine assistance and that the county is requesting such additional support given the scale of damage.

- Public works and debris protection: Angela George Moody, Chief Deputy for Public Works, said the county is coordinating regionally to use existing flood-control infrastructure, remove sediment from debris basins, and deploy best-management practices (BMPs) at the property level with Cal OES and local cities to reduce downstream risks from rain-driven sediment and fire debris.

- Public health advice and PPE: Dr. Ferrer, representing county public health, told the board that "there's no safe fire debris" and urged residents who return to burn areas to use protective equipment such as gloves and N95 respirators. Public health has distributed tens of thousands of PPE items and said it has shipped air purifiers to schools and assisted-living facilities in the most affected areas.

Federal/state actions and local programs

Officials described a two-phase debris strategy: EPA-led Phase 1 to identify and remove hazardous household materials and a Phase 2 for broader debris removal coordinated by the county. The county reported that FEMA registrations were active, reminded residents they must apply within statutory windows for individual assistance, and pointed to recovery.lacounty.gov as a central information hub. County briefers said EPA had mobilized an initial $100 million and personnel for first-phase work, and that county public works was finalizing program details for property-level assistance.

Public comments and community offers

Several construction trade groups and contracting associations told the board they stand ready to help with debris-removal and rebuilding logistics. Community organizations and residents urged clear, rapid permit pathways, workforce training and protections for vulnerable households (renters, undocumented workers and low-income residents) during recovery.

Board action and next steps

The board's motion directs the county’s legislative advocates to pursue all available federal and state assistance and was approved 5-0 (moved by Supervisor Horvath; seconded by Chair Barger). County staff said they will coordinate requests and present them to the Los Angeles County delegation and to state and federal agencies.

The board also asked department heads to continue reporting on needs and to coordinate requests so that the county speaks "with one voice," as the chief executive's office described at the meeting.

Ending note

Officials cautioned that recovery is likely to be long and complex, and they emphasized interim steps the county is taking now—PPE distribution, reentry checkpoints, FEMA registration assistance, and rapid coordination with state and federal cleanup teams—to reduce health risks and accelerate debris removal and rebuilding.