01/30/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/30/2025 23:46
LOS ANGELES - Mayor Bass announced a path forward for Angelenos impacted by fires to clear debris from their property. The EPA has specialists on the ground assessing and removing hazardous waste like exploded lithium ion batteries. Following the successful clearance of the hazardous materials, survivors can either select the Army Corps of Engineers to remove debris from their property or hire a private contractor at their own expense. Palisades Residents are encouraged to opt into the Army Corps of Engineers and coordinate with their neighbors to accelerate the process.
Earlier this week, Mayor Karen Bass, Councilwoman Traci Park, Chief Recovery Officer Steve Soboroff, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, LA County Public Works and other leaders provided updates at a town hall focused on reentry, public safety and the debris removal process. The video of this town hall can be viewed here. Content included details outlined below.
All residents in the Pacific Palisades can now access their properties. See more information on reentry guidance including knowing the risks and ways to keep safe on the City's lacity.gov website.
Key information for returning residents includes the following:
Key information for contractors:
Protect yourself from health and environmental hazards:
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, the 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 at 1-833-798-7372, dial 711, or email EPALAWildfiresInfo@epa.gov.
FEMA Resource Centers
In addition to the Disaster Recovery Centers, FEMA has opened two locations to provide support for people impacted by the recent fires - including the Hurst, Sunset, and Castaic fires - as they apply for FEMA assistance. FEMA has already approved over $53 million dollars in housing and other types of individual assistance with over 123,000 individuals already registered for FEMA assistance. The Deadline to Apply For Federal Assistance is March 10, 2025.
Sherman Oaks East Valley Adult Center
5056 Van Nuys Blvd Building B, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
Tuesday - Friday, 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Ritchie Valens Recreation Center
10736 Laurel Canyon Blvd, Pacoima, CA 91331
Tuesday- Friday 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM & Saturday 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Services at these locations are limited to assistance with FEMA applications. FEMA can provide the following types of financial assistance:
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 your power is still out or the power remains out on your street or block, please contact 1-800-DIAL DWP to report the outage. It may be that 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. 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:
Monitor Air Quality
Progress Toward Containment