Debris removal began in late January with the Environmental Protection Agency handling hazardous materials, followed by Army Corps-led crews tackling ash, rubble, and contaminated soil
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Tuesday it is nearing the end of its debris removal efforts in Pacific Palisades following the Palisades wildfire, with cleanup of the final residential property underway. The update, provided as of 3:00 a.m., reflects progress on 4,025 properties where right-of-entry requests were received, accepted, and submitted to contractors, with 3,973 receiving final sign-off.
At a news conference in Pacific Palisades, officials including U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman, L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, and Councilmember Traci Park celebrated the rapid recovery, calling it the fastest wildfire cleanup in modern history. Horvath noted, “What was expected to take more than two years was finished in just seven months,” highlighting the collaborative effort.
Debris removal began in late January with the Environmental Protection Agency handling hazardous materials, followed by Army Corps-led crews tackling ash, rubble, and contaminated soil in February. The effort included all four Palisades schools, where all right-of-entry requests have been processed and finalized.
Park recalled the initial devastation to the Los Angeles Times, saying, “When I looked around that first morning, I wondered how on earth we were ever going to get it cleaned up?” She credited the Army Corps for laying the groundwork for recovery.
Local officials have issued 600 building permits in Palisades as the area transitions to rebuilding, though a few commercial properties remain under cleanup.
