Monday, April 28, 2025

Supervisors to Vote on Urgency Ordinance to Accelerate Fire Debris Removal

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will vote on adopting an urgency ordinance aimed at expediting the removal of fire debris from residential properties impacted by the January 2025 fires, citing urgent public health concerns.

The ordinance, which must be approved by at least a four-fifths vote, allows the County to fast-track the abatement of uncontained fire ash and debris on properties where owners have either opted out of government debris removal programs or have failed to take action.

Property owners now face a June 1 deadline to obtain a debris removal permit and must complete debris clearance by June 30.

“Those who opt out must fill out a form notifying the County of their intention to do so and hire contractors to perform any remaining hazardous materials removal and to remove the fire ash and debris,” according to the ordinance. “To facilitate this process, the County’s Department of Public Works has set up a simple process for those contractors to apply for and receive a debris removal permit for the property in the County’s EPIC LA system. The County has repeatedly messaged to the public that those who opted out had until June 30, 2025 to complete the debris removal.”

According to the Army Corps of Engineers all homeowners in Altadena have returned the required Right of Entry forms to the County.

And the vast majority of property owners have already participated in cleanup efforts through the government-run removal program.

Debris crews are currently clearing more than 60 properties a month in Altadena.

However, approximately 10% of property owners in Altadena and the Palisades either opted out of the PPDR or have not cleared their lots, prompting concerns that lingering debris could pose ongoing health risks to neighboring communities. County health officials have classified uncontained fire ash and debris as a present health hazard.

Under the new urgency ordinance, the Department of Public Works will intensify outreach efforts to non-responsive property owners through all available communication channels, including phone calls, emails, and text messages.