With residents anxious to return to their fire-ravaged properties, authorities are warning of the dangers of sifting through the toxic wreckage — especially without protective gear.
Hazardous items in the fire zones can include batteries, ammunition, propane tanks, pesticides, and cleaning products that can become unsafe when exposed to heat and fire. Harmful chemicals can be present in the ash in charred neighborhoods, according to experts.
In other words, it’s not a good idea to haul a dumpster to the destruction zone and clean up the debris yourself.
“The soil has been heavily impacted by a lot of pollutants. The ash includes a lot of different byproducts of construction,” Mark Pestrella, L.A. County’s public works director, told Pacific Palisades residents at a community meeting on Thursday. He added that it’s not safe to come into contact with such materials without wearing personal protective equipment.
The topic of debris removal was the subject of a contentious exchange between Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and President Trump at a roundtable discussion on Friday. Trump had traveled to the Palisades to survey the damage wrought by a wind-driven inferno that burned more than 23,400 acres and destroyed at least 6,808 properties, including many homes.
The president suggested residents should be allowed to sift through the wreckage themselves and start rebuilding right away. Bass emphasized that it isn’t safe to do that. The discussion spurred a charged debate on social media.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is overseeing debris removal in fire zones, began the process this week of surveying the charred neighborhoods along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. At a community meeting, Col. Eric Swenson with the Army Corps said the debris removal process could take up to 18 months to complete.
“We want to get this place back into your hands clear of all the public health hazards so that you can rebuild your life and your livelihood,” Swenson said at the Palisades meeting.
At the very least, he said, residents should wait until the Environmental Protection Agency completes the first phase of removing hazardous waste — a process that is likely to take a couple of months. Pestrella said the EPA will place a placard on every lot that it has cleared, certifying that the hazardous waste has been removed.
After that, authorities will need to secure permission from the property owners to have the rest of the debris hauled out, Swenson said. Residents considering signing up for the Army Corps of Engineers private property debris removal program, which is offered at no cost under the Federal Emergency Management Agency, should opt in as soon as possible, Swenson said.
Property owners can also hire private companies to conduct the debris removal and submit an insurance claim for reimbursement.
“There is risk to returning to your property,” Swenson said. “There will be nails everywhere, if you had a basement it may be hidden. There will be burned timbers, which have no structural strength in them. There are hazards out there. If you do choose to go back to your property and sift through the ash, I just advise caution. And I certainly advise that you don’t do it before the EPA has completed the Phase 1 household hazardous material removal.”
Last week, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued an order prohibiting the cleanup or removal of debris at fire-damaged properties until a hazardous materials inspection is completed.
In a flier posted to X on Friday, L.A. County warned against handling fire debris.
“ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK,” the flier said. “House debris after a fire is hazardous and may contain toxic materials such as asbestos, lead, mercury, chemicals from household products, and other heavy metals. These materials pose a significant risk to your health.”
In another post, an LAFD fire captain, in an unofficial capacity, sounded the alarm on returning to burn areas too early.
“I do not recommend that you return to these burn areas. It’s just not safe,” Branden Silverman said in a video posted on X on Saturday. “I’ve seen cleaning kits with buckets, brooms and other cleaning supplies being provided to residents at some locations. While I’m sure this is being done with the best of intentions, unless proper protective equipment and techniques are used, you’re putting yourself at risk by attempting to clean the property yourself.”
After the deadly Camp fire in 2018, it took nearly a month for some residents to be able to return to their fire-ravaged homes.
During the roundtable discussion on Friday, Bass promised to “cut the red tape” to foster a quick and streamlined rebuilding process. But she and other city and county officials have asked the public to be patient as crews complete the necessary work so residents can return safely.
“First we have to take care of … getting rid of the hazardous waste, cleaning things up so that people can start right away,” Bass said.
Trump criticized the 18-month timeline, saying residents should be able to remove debris from their properties immediately.
“They want to start now. They want to start removing things. They’re not allowed to do it now,” Trump said. “You mentioned hazardous waste. What’s hazardous waste? You’re going to have to define that. Are we going to go through a whole series of questions determining what’s hazardous waste?”
“Nope, nope, nope, nope,” Bass said.
“I just think you have to allow the people to go onto the site and start the process tonight,” Trump said.
Later in the meeting, Bass said residents would likely be allowed to return in a week.
“The most important thing is for people to be safe,” she said.
Times staff writers David Zahniser, Karen Garcia and Hannah Fry contributed to this report.
