How to apply to for LA County's free wildfire debris cleanup
With Phase 1 of Los Angeles' wildfire recovery plan underway, residents affected by the recent wildfires can prepare for future steps by signing up for free debris removal.
Mayor Karen Bass and Chief Recovery Officer Steve Soboroff announced on Monday that the recovery process for the historically destructive Palisades and Eaton fires will start with two initial phases: hazardous material removal and then general debris cleanup.
Although officials lifted the last remaining evacuation orders roughly three weeks after the fires started, toxic debris continues to litter the ravaged neighborhoods and pollute the surrounding air. To remedy this, local officials and the Environmental Protection Agency have invested $100 million and more than 500 personnel to remove hazardous materials, such as lithium-ion batteries from destroyed electric cars in Mike Montgomery's neighborhood.
"This is major," he said. "There are household chemicals and plastics that have burned and everything you can imagine. It's a toxic dump so it needs to be done right. It needs to be done by people who know what they're doing."
While there is no timeline for when Phase 1 will finish, residents can prepare for the following step by opting for a free general debris cleanup from the Army Corps of Engineers or paying for a specialized contractor approved to remove the remaining rubble.
"You will have the government conduct your clean up at no cost to you so that will be if you opt-in to this form by March 31st of this year," Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Jacob Raabe said.
Residents can view forms for both options here.
The disastrous wildfires burned nearly 40,000 acres, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. The Eaton and Palisades fires are two of the most destructive blazes in California history, ranking second and third, respectively.
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