Crews have cleared 250,000 tons of debris from Woolsey, Hill fires

Staff reports

State contractors have removed more than 250,000 tons of debris from private properties affected by the Woolsey and Hill fires, authorities reported.

That breaks down in Ventura County to 27,165 tons from properties affected by the Woolsey Fire and 445.10 tons from properties affected by the Hill Fire, as well as 222,474 tons from properties in Los Angeles County affected by the Woolsey Fire.

California wildfire coverage:

Under the state Consolidated Debris Removal Program administered by CalRecycle and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, burned metal, concrete, ash and contaminated soil are removed free of charge for participating property owners.

To date, program officials have submitted final inspection reports to local officials for 145 properties in Los Angeles County and 14 in Ventura County affected by the Woolsey Fire. This step clears the way for owners of those properties to begin reconstruction.

In other progress reported by the debris removal operations center in Calabasas:

  • Contractors have cleared fire-related debris from 582 properties. That's 62.9% of the properties eligible for the state program. Of the 582 cleared properties, 526 in Los Angeles County, all from the Woolsey Fire, and 56 are in Ventura County, 53 from the Woolsey Fire and three from the smaller Hill Fire. 
  • For erosion control, crews have finished installing fiber rolls and applying a wood-based, biodegradable mulch and binder at 149 of the cleared properties in Los Angeles County and 16 in Ventura County. 
  • Contractors have completed site assessments on 976 properties – 868 in Los Angeles County and 108 in Ventura County. During this step, 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.
  • Contractors have completed 861 asbestos surveys and abatements on 118 of the 130 properties in Los Angeles County where they found bulk quantities of asbestos-containing materials.

Property owners who have submitted paperwork for the debris removal program can meet one-on-one with debris removal experts from their respective counties at the debris removal operations center, 26610 Agoura Road in Calabasas, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

For more information, visit www.venturacountyrecovers.org or call 805-504-7869.