The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services announced Friday it has made a direct request to FEMA to support debris removal on private properties for the Los Angeles wildfires. Debris removal will follow immediately behind the US EPA teams currently on the ground to remove household hazardous material.
“We have been in the community for days, meeting almost hourly with local, state, and federal officials in a collaborative response to this event,” said Nancy Ward. “The decision to request support is a critical step toward helping survivors of these fires begin rebuilding as quickly as possible.”
The decision clears the way to coordinate and execute all actions associated with debris clearance and removal in affected areas. This work can begin as soon as hazardous and household waste removal is complete.
With state and local consensus achieved to request approval for the Private Property Debris Removal program, Cal OES moved quickly to make the request of FEMA to help speed the planning and mobilization efforts.
Additional, detailed information about debris removal for private property owners is being developed and will be made available soon by federal, state and local authorities. California’s robust worker protections and standards will apply to debris removal, even where the federal government is the contracting entity. Cal OES additionally requested that the program prioritize local contractors and local workforce, and all contracts have appropriate prevailing wage provisions where permissible.
Property owners can decide whether to opt in to the program or utilize their own resources to pay for debris removal.
On Wednesday, Governor Newsom signed an executive order authorizing EPA to begin Phase 1 of Hazardous Waste Removal. On Thursday, officials from the US Environmental Protection Agency were on the ground in California assessing properties and starting the staging work to begin hazardous household waste removal.
The fires have collectively burned over 40,300 acres, with initial estimates placing this disaster among the most destructive in California history.