Sierra Madre says water testing, containment and cleanup operations underway after Eaton Fire

City of Sierra Madre officials on Jan. 16 gave a multi-agency update on the response to the Eaton Fire, saying the state has ordered additional water testing in affected neighborhoods, the wildfire is largely contained, and county and federal agencies will coordinate debris cleanup and hazardous-materials removal.

The update centered on water safety for residences served by the city’s Zone 3, the area where firefighting operations drew large volumes from the distribution system. Steven McGee, the city water superintendent, said the state’s “do not drink, do not cook” advisory applies to Zone 3 and is extended to Grandview and residents north of Grandview. McGee said, “We never lost water pressure in our system, and we had no loss of any water infrastructure.” He said the state required additional testing for benzene, a volatile organic compound, after structures burned in the fire. McGee said the city is submitting a comprehensive testing plan to the State Health Department this week; sample collection will begin once the plan is approved, and results are expected roughly five to seven days after samples are taken. He also advised residents that the city “recommended that residents avoid filtering their own water, as we cannot guarantee the effectiveness of a third party filter.”

Fire and public-safety officials gave the latest operational picture. Brent Bartlett, fire chief, reported the Eaton Fire at 14,117 acres and 55% containment with 3,404 personnel assigned, and said crews were focusing on extinguishing hot spots and on smoldering and creeping activity inside the fire perimeter. He cautioned that smoke could persist and asked residents to keep streets clear to allow resources to move quickly. Bartlett said all city zones were at “normal status” and that no evacuation orders or warnings were currently in effect for Sierra Madre.

On parking and patrols, Corporal Shaw of the Sierra Madre Police Department said the city had lifted temporary parking restrictions except during red-flag warnings but asked residents to avoid parking where utility crews or emergency responders need access; “parking enforcement is in effect only in areas where utility access is critical,” Shaw said. Shaw also said the city would maintain enhanced patrols and asked residents to report suspicious activity.

Arnulfo Llanes, public works director, described mudflow and debris-flow mitigation work and neighborhood cleanup procedures. Llanes said crews will deploy K-rail barriers in strategic locations and asked residents to keep parkways and streets clear of debris so the barriers can be placed. He said spoiled food from burned structures may be placed in specially provided bins at Sierra Vista Park, but residents should not place regular trash in those bins. Llanes relayed guidance from the county and federal agencies: the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Services has advised residents not to attempt cleanup of burned structures because of potential hazardous-material exposure; the Environmental Protection Agency will coordinate hazardous-debris cleanup, and Phase 2 remediation — removal of remaining fire debris — will be carried out by the state or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Officials also addressed power restoration. Llanes said additional sections of the city were being returned to service and asked residents with outages to contact Southern California Edison and the city for support. The city manager opened the briefing and thanked residents for patience as conditions evolved.

The city advised residents to follow official Sierra Madre channels for updates and to follow public-health guidance on water use, smoke exposure and debris. The city posted the location of spoiled-food bins and other operational details during the briefing, and officials said they will share further information as agency testing and cleanup plans are finalized.