SATURDAY EVENING UPDATE: L.A. City Continues to Prepare Fire-Affected Areas for Potential Impacts from Rain; EPA Initiating Phase 1 of Federal Cleanup Response

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LOS ANGELES - The National Weather Service has put into place flood watchesfor the burn areas. Angelenos are encouraged to get ready and take extra precautions, especially those in areas that recently burned. The City has assessed and pre-positioned resources and equipment to shore up areas within burn scars ahead of the storm. Angelenos should be prepared for rain throughout the city.

When preparing for the storm, Angelenos can take the following precautions:

• Pick-up sandbags from your local fire station. More information on locations is available here: https://emergency.lacity.gov/rain-impacts-and-preparation.

• Palisades Fire: Private property owners who remain under evacuation orders and need help preparing their property for the storm can call LA County Public Works to schedule individual engineering support to assess a property. Call 800-675-4357 for 24/7 dispatch assistance and referral. Please see the Los Angeles County Public Works Homeowner's Guide here.

• Sign up to receive text, email, and phone call LA City emergency alerts for your home, work, and school at notifyla.org. If you have recently relocated to a new area, please sign up for alerts at your new address.

• Check in on your neighbors to make sure they know about the storm conditions and are prepared.

During the storm, Angelenos can take the following actions:

• Avoid areas where there is water runoff from recent wildfire burn scars including debris basins.

• Roads are often slick during the first storm of the season. Give yourself extra time to safely drive to your destination during the storm.

• Call 911 with any life-threatening emergencies.

• Call 311 for non-emergencies to report downed tree branches, blocked storm drains, or localized flooding.

• Use caution around any downed or damaged wires or poles. Angelenos are reminded that if they see a downed wire, always assume it is live. Never touch any wire that is down or damaged and immediately dial 911.

Read on for key updates and information about emergency response and recovery:

Shoring Up Burn Areas Ahead of Possible Rain, Protecting Water, Beaches and Ocean

Earlier this week, Mayor Bass and Councilmember Traci Park met with city engineers who are deployed in the Palisades to address and respond to mudslide-prone areas. Engineers identified and inspected potential mudflow locations to lay down K-Rail, sandbags and other protective equipment. This is being done in coordination with County teams that will work to protect homes that survived the wildfires. LA Mayor Bass issued anEmergency Executive Orderearlier this week to shore up burn areas and to mitigate the serious health and environmental impacts of fire-related hazardous pollutants on the stormwater system, beaches and ocean.

Protect Yourself During Re-Entry to a Burned Area: New Zones Announced

Palisades Fire Unified Incident Command announced limited re-entry to some evacuation zones for residents only, including a new zone today. Visit theCity of Los Angeles' websitefor zones that are allowing re-entry and for guidance about how to stay safe - know the risks - when you return to an area impacted by wildfire.

Protect yourself from health and environmental hazards:

• Wear a tight fitting N95 Mask or greater.

• Wear household dishwashing gloves, long-sleeved shirts and long pants.

• Wear safety goggles, not safety glasses.

• Do not use leafblowers or other equipment such as vacuum cleaners that may cause dust particles to be airborne.

• Unified Command encourages residents who are re-entering the evacuation area to enter at their own risk and not sort through any fire debris - Know the risks. Stay safe.

EPA Emergency Response Deployed in Burn Areas

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Representatives have been assigned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to survey, remove, and dispose of hazardous materials from properties burned by wildfires in Los Angeles County. EPA's work removing hazardous materials is Phase 1of the federal cleanup response. Further information can be found at epa.gov/california-wildfires.

Hazardous materials from burned properties require special handling and safe disposal by EPA's cleanup crews. These materials will be sent to licensed disposal facilities (not municipal landfills). The EPA has been assessing and preparing to remove the first phase of debris - hazardous materials such as lithium batteries, asbestos, paints, cleaners and pesticides.

As part of the hazardous material removal work, U.S. EPA has also been tasked to safely remove batteries from electric and hybrid vehicles and home backup power supplies. According to the EPA, lithium-ion batteries should be considered extremely dangerous. For questions about this work or if you have an electric or hybrid vehicle and/or a battery energy storage system in the burn area, call the EPA hotline - 1-833-798-7372.

LA Department of Water and Power Palisades Restoration
If you have been allowed to return to your home and find your power out but your immediate neighbors' electricity is on, please check your electrical panel. If power remains out on your street or block, LADWP crews are still inspecting the power lines that supply power to your street or block to ensure they are safe to restore. Performing the inspections and repairs enables crews to quickly and safely restore power to affected customers once Palisades Fire Unified Command lifts fire holds that are in place on certain power lines, for safety purposes. Allowing power lines to be turned on before it is safe to do so can create a public safety hazard. LADWP remains in close coordination with Unified Command and will continue working to restore power to customers, as clearance is received.  

Do Not Drink Notice

Effective January 10, 2025, LADWP issued a Do Not Drink Noticein the zip code 90272 and the LADWP service area immediately south of the 90272 zip code and north of San Vicente Blvd. Check this interactive mapto see if your area is affected and learn how it impacts your tap water.

LADWP is providing bottled drinking water to all impacted customers at these locations:

• Veteran's Barrington Park | 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM until further notice.

• Palisades Branch Library | 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM until further notice.

Deadline to Apply For Federal Assistance is March 10, 2025

FEMA announced that more than $46 million has been approved for wildfire survivors in L.A. thus far and more than 113,000 applications have been received. The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance and SBA loans - including help for homeowners, renters and businesses - is March 10, 2025. Visitlacity.govto learn more or stop by the City Disaster Recovery Center located at the UCLA Research Park, formerly known as the Westside Pavilion at 10850 Pico Blvd. Current hours of operation are 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM, 7 days a week.

Key Updates:

• Monitor Air Quality

  • Continue to monitor air quality and wear a N95 mask when ash, smoke, dust is in the air. Explore the Air Quality Mapfrom the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) for more details.

  • N95 masks are available for free at local LA libraries and recreation centers. Find your local library hereand recreation center here.

• Help For Pets- For help with a pet in the evacuation area, call 213-270-8155.

  • If you are a person with a disability and need an alternative way to contact the hotline, please complete the Los Angeles Fire Evacuation Animal Services Form inEnglishorSpanish.

Progress Toward Containment (as of Saturday, 7:30 PM):

• Palisades Fire is 84% contained - urgent work continues.

• Eaton Fire, affecting communities outside the City of Los Angeles, is 95% contained.

• The City of Los Angeles continues to monitor the Hughes Fire, which is outside of the City and in the County of Los Angeles' Castaic Area. This fire burned more than 10,425 acres and is 90% contained. The LAFD deployed five strike teams and one dozer with support to assist in the fire fight.

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