In order to have debris removed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), a Right of Entry form (ROE) must be submitted to the County by the property owner. There is no out-of-pocket cost to have debris removed by USACE. The deadline for ROE form submittal is March 31, 2025.

Debris cleanup for the catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles County began in January. FEMA assigned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and USACE to survey, remove, and dispose of debris from properties burned by the wildfires.

As part of this effort, Los Angeles County established a Debris Removal website with information and resources for fire-impacted residents to learn more about the debris clearance process. In Phase 1 of the process, which was completed on February 25, the EPA removed hazardous household materials (HHM) from private property. No action from the property owner was required for Phase 1 to be completed. HHM removal associated with properties where structural hazards precluded safe entry were deferred to USACE.

Phase 2, conducted by USACE, consists of structural debris removal and requires an ROE form completed by the property owner, which is provided on the county website and available at Disaster Recovery Centers. Free private property debris removal by USACE is only available if the eligible property owner opts in by completing and submitting the ROE form. The ROE form is an agreement where property owners accept the conditions of participation in the debris removal program and give permission for USACE to access their property for cleanup activities.

Signing up for the debris removal program via the ROE does NOT impact a property owner’s eligibility to apply for other FEMA disaster assistance If a property owner opts out of the USACE debris removal program, they become responsible for all permits, inspections and other associated debris removal requirements and costs.

Coverage for debris and hazardous tree removal may be provided through your insurance policy. For information about insurance reimbursement, visit pages 3 and 4 on the ROE form.

What is the Debris Removal Program?

The Debris Removal Program has two phases: removal of HHM followed by removal of other fire-related debris and trees that are deemed a hazard or that a certified arborist determines are dead or likely to die within five years due to the fire. Learn more at fema.gov/disaster/4856

Submit Debris Removal Right of Entry Forms by March 31

Phase 1: Removing Hazardous Materials

On January 16, teams of experts from EPA and California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control began assessing properties in the burn areas to remove any HHM that could pose a threat to human health and the environment such as lithium-ion batteries, paint, cleaners and solvents, oils and pesticides. This phase was automatic and completed at no cost to residents. EPA only removed hazardous materials. Examples of devices that contain lithium-ion batteries removed in Phase 1 and include: electric/hybrid vehicles, power tools, power banks, home alarms, drones, and tablets.

Phase 1 was completed on February 25. While most properties were cleared of HHM during Phase 1, some have been deferred to Phase 2 due to access and safety challenges. For more information, please visit: 2025 California Wildfires | US EPA

Phase 2: Debris Removal

On February 11, USACE, at the direction of FEMA, began removing fire-damaged metal, ash, and other general fire debris from residential properties. USACE will also remove foundations if property owners have opted to include foundation removal on the ROE. The collection of ROEs is a critical component of recovery operations because work cannot begin until a property owner opts into the program by submitting a completed form to the County. The ROE forms are available on the County’s website LA County Recovers

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