EPA Phase 1 Complete in Palisades, Eaton Fire Zones

Phase 2 Work Is Underway in Both Areas

By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it has completed Phase 1 of wildfire hazardous debris cleanup for the Eaton and Palisades fires.

Phase 1—Household Hazardous Waste Removal—was managed by EPA under executive orders and needed to be complete at parcels before beginning Phase 2 clearing of structural debris.

The first phase involved “assessing and safely removing hazardous materials,” including paints, cleaners, pesticides, fuel, propane tanks, batteries and more from impacted residential and commercial parcels.

“EPA crews identified and cleared hazardous materials from 13,612 residential properties and 305 commercial properties, paving the way for debris removal and other stages of the recovery effort to move forward,” according to EPA.

During a town hall hosted by Mayor Karen Bass on Tuesday, March 4, EPA representative Rusty Harris-Bishop explained that there were 6,981 residential parcels and 129 commercial parcels that needed to be inspected in the Palisades fire area. Of those, EPA was able to clear 4,349 residential parcels and 77 commercial parcels.

In the Palisades area, 2,632 residential parcels and 52 commercial parcels have been deferred to Phase 2, which means that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or private contractors will be responsible for the removal and safe disposal of the waste—depending on if residents opt in or out of the county-run program.

Parcels are deferred, according to Harris-Bishop, when EPA is unable to safely complete the work, due to things like unsafe chimneys, basements or walls. The EPA works with hand-tools, Harris-Bishop continued, while the Army Corps and private contractors have the tools needed to complete the removal process.

Phase 2 is the Comprehensive Debris Removal Program. Residents have two options for Phase 2: opting in to the county’s debris removal program, which is being led by the Army Corps and Colonel Eric Swenson, or opting out of the county-run program and hiring a private contractor. The deadline to opt in or out of the program is March 31.

The Army Corps has established a Debris Call Center to answer questions regarding Phase 2 of debris removal. The hotline phone number is 213-308-8305. Operators are available daily from 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.