SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — State contractors have removed debris generated by the Woolsey and Hill fires from more than 900 properties in Los Angeles and Ventura counties whose owners are participating in the state’s Consolidated Debris Removal Program, officials with the Debris Removal Operations Center (DROC) in Calabasas reported today.
To date, state crews have cleared eligible burned metal, concrete, ash and debris from 807 properties in Los Angeles County and from 95 properties in Ventura County.
The 902 properties cleared in both counties represent 97.20 percent of the 928properties currently eligible for the state program. The 807 cleared properties in Los Angeles County represent 97.35 percent of the 829 eligible properties in the county. The 95 cleared properties in Ventura County, including all six related to the Hill Fire, represent 95.96 percent of its 99 eligible properties.
Under the state program, administered by CalRecycle and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), property owners who opt inincur no direct costs for the removal of eligible debris.
To date, debris officials have submitted 598 final inspections reports to officials in Los Angeles County and 68 to officials in Ventura County, clearing the way for owners of those properties to begin reconstruction.
The 666 final inspection reports sent to local officials in both counties represent 73.84 percent of the 902 cleared properties and 71.77 percent of the 928 eligible properties in both counties. The 598 final inspection reports submitted to Los Angeles County authorities represent 74.10 percent of its 807 cleared properties in the county and 72.14 percent of its 829 eligible properties. The 68 final inspection reports submitted to Ventura County officials represent 71.58 of the 95 cleared properties in the county and 68.69 percent of its 99 eligible properties.
During the state’s debris removal operation, contractors conduct site assessments, asbestos surveys and abatements as required for every site. Crews also remove the fire debris, which consists of burnt metal, ash and other burn debris, concrete and contaminated soil. Following this debris removal process, the surveying contractor returns to the site and conducts soil sampling which is sent to state certified laboratories for testing.
Once the state certified laboratories verify that the samples taken from the properties meet state environmental health and safety criteria, contractors then install fiber rolls and apply a virgin-based, biodegradable mulch to every cleared property whose owners have opted to have contractors implement the two types of erosion control measures. Following these erosion control measures, state officials and staff conduct a walkthrough of each property to ensure all of the requirements of the state program were completed to the state’s high standard.
To date, state contractors have:
- Completed 918 site assessments in Los Angeles County and 112 in Ventura County;
- Conducted 915 asbestos surveys in Los Angeles County and 105 in Ventura County;
- Abated all 148 properties in Los Angeles County with bulk quantities of asbestos containing materials (ACMs), as well all 21 properties in Ventura County with bulk quantities of ACMs;
- Approved soil samples for 710 of the cleared properties in Los Angeles County and for 79 of the cleared properties in Ventura County; and
- Completed erosion control work on 566 properties in Los Angeles County and 65 in Ventura County.
According to DROC officials, state contractors also have completed erosion control work on the cleared properties in Los Angeles County and on The cleared properties in Ventura County, including those for which they have submitted final inspection reports.
Debris removal experts from Los Angeles County Public Works and the Ventura County Environmental Health Division are available at the DROC from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturdays to meet with property owners who have submitted Right-of-Entry (ROE) permit applications.
Debris officials will notify property owners who have opted in to the state program 24-48 hours prior to the start of debris removal operations on their property. Property owners can meet with crews before work begins.
For more information in Los Angeles County, visit lacounty.gov/LACountyRecovers or call 1-626-979-5370. For more information in Ventura County, visit www.venturacountyrecovers.org or call 1-805-504-7869.