State contractors have removed debris generated by the Woolsey and Hill fires from 441 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) said today.
The 441 cleared properties represent 48.7 percent of the 906 parcels in both counties so far determined to be eligible for the state program. The 401 cleared properties in Los Angeles County represent 49.5 percent of the 810 sites in the county so far determined eligible to participate in the state program. The 40 cleared sites in Ventura County represent 41.7 percent of the 96 eligible properties in the county.
Under the state program, administered by Cal Recycle and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), property owners who opt in incur no direct costs for the removal of eligible debris.
According to DROC officials, contractors have removed nearly 181,000 tons of burned metal, concrete, ash and soil since operations began on February 6. The nearly 181,000 tons includes more than 160,800 tons from Los Angeles County and more than 20,100 tons from Ventura County.
So far, DROC officials have submitted final inspections reports for 96 properties in Los Angeles County and 11 parcels in Ventura County to local officials, paving the way for owners to start the reconstruction of their homes.
Submission of the final inspection report for each property followed the completion of site assessments; asbestos surveys; asbestos abatements, where needed; debris removal; analysis and testing of soil samples by a state-certified laboratory; the implementation of erosion control measures by state contractors; and a final walkthrough by state debris removal officials and operations staff.
According to DROC officials, state contractors also have completed erosion control work on 120 cleared properties in Los Angeles County and 10 in Ventura County. Erosion control measures include the installation of fiber rolls and the application of a wood-based, environmentally friendly mulch.
Debris removal officials also reported that contractors have completed site assessments on 948 properties – 845 in Los Angeles County and 103 in Ventura County, including the 441 parcels that state contractors have cleared of debris.
During site assessments of properties whose owners have opted into the state program, contractors document and photograph property lines, the location of septic tanks, the footprints of foundations and ash, as well as objects that pose a hazard or hamper operations such as trees, pools and vehicles.
Contractors also have completed 916 asbestos surveys – 825 in Los Angeles County and 91 in Ventura County. In addition, they have abated 105 of the 110 properties where they found bulk quantities of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs). In Ventura County, crews have abated nine of the 14 parcels where they identified bulk quantities of ACMs.
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 may walk the property 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.
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