Nearly 625 Properties Cleared of Woolsey, Hill Fire Debris

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State contractors have removed debris generated by the Woolsey and Hill fires from 623 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.

To date, state crews have cleared eligible burned metal, concrete, ash and debris from 563 properties in Los Angeles County and from 60 parcels in Ventura County.

The 623 properties cleared in both counties represent 67.9 percent of the 918 properties currently eligible for the state program.   The 563 cleared properties in Los Angeles County represent 68.2 percent of the 825 eligible properties in the county, while the 60 cleared properties in Ventura County represent 64.5 percent of its 93 eligible properties.

Through April 24, contractors had removed 254,028.27 tons of debris from eligible properties in Los Angeles County and 34,277.61 tons from eligible properties in Ventura 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.

So far, DROC officials have submitted final inspections reports for 153 properties in Los Angeles County and 19 properties in Ventura County to local officials, paving the way for owners to start the reconstruction of their homes.

DROC officials submitted the final inspection report for each property following 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, unless waived by the property owner; 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 181 cleared properties in Los Angeles County and 23 in Ventura County, including those for which final inspection reports have been submitted.  Erosion control measures include the installation of fiber rolls and the application of a wood-based, environmentally friendly mulch.

Debris removal officials report that soil samples taken following the removal of eligible debris from 365 properties in Los Angeles County and 59 properties in Ventura County,  meet state environmental and public health standards, according to laboratory testing and analysis.

Debris removal officials also reported that contractors have completed site assessments on 982 properties – 874 in Los Angeles County and 108 in Ventura County.  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 867 asbestos surveys and have abated 126 of the 132 properties in Los Angeles County where they found bulk quantities of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs).   In Ventura County, they have finished 100 asbestos surveys and abated 15 of the 21 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 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.

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