New interactive map helps residents track debris removal progress as officials emphasize unprecedented cleanup speed
A newly released interactive map allows residents to track the progress of the cleanup, identifying which areas remain in Phase 1 and which have advanced to Phase 2. The tool enables homeowners to search their addresses or parcel numbers for up-to-date assessment status, with information refreshed nightly.
Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath, Mayor Karen Bass, and officials from FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and CalOES announced the Phase 2 launch on Monday, emphasizing a coordinated, interagency effort to clear hazardous materials and prepare properties for rebuilding.
Phase 1, led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), focused on the removal of household hazardous materials such as paints, batteries, propane tanks, and solvents. EPA teams began assessments in Pacific Palisades on Jan. 16, with hazardous material collection starting on Jan. 28. Properties where conditions prevented full cleanup during Phase 1 will have remaining work completed by USACE during Phase 2.
Now, in Phase 2, USACE crews are removing fire-related debris, including ash, burned structures, and, if requested by homeowners, soil around foundation footprints to prepare lots for rebuilding. While lots won’t be perfectly graded, Recovery Field Office Commander Col. Eric Swenson noted that homeowners will be able to level them and pour footers once they secure building permits.
Residents affected by the fires are encouraged to submit Right-of-Entry (ROE) forms to authorize debris removal on their properties. More than 8,000 ROEs have already been submitted, with 99% of property owners opting into the Army Corps’ process, Horvath said. The county will issue permits for those who choose to opt out. The deadline for submission is March 30, and forms can be submitted online at recovery.lacounty.gov or at Disaster Recovery Centers.
The map can be found at https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/13a8b227ac104bb1b1fa9592c92debe3?item=2
