Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass discussed what has been done so far one month after the Palisades Fire erupted – and what’s still to come.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Marking the one-month anniversary of the Eaton and Palisades fires, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says it has been 31 days since the city launched the largest disaster recovery operation in the city’s history. She promised there will be independent investigations and collaboration with the governor’s office, and vowed to fully rebuild.
Bass said city inspectors have assessed more than 15,000 structures in the Palisades. About 6,800 were destroyed, and roughly 1,000 had visible damage.
“As of yesterday, the EPA reported inspecting more than 3,100 properties,” Bass announced during the press conference.
The EPA also said it has removed hazardous debris from roughly 1,500 properties in both burn areas.
On Thursday night, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger announced that the county Department of Public Works had officially delivered the first batch of signed Right of Entry” forms completed by wildfire victims to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Receiving the forms means the Corps will be able to begin clearing debris from residential properties that were destroyed in the blazes, as soon as they are cleared of hazardous materials by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA’s hazardous waste operations are considered Phase 1 of the debris-removal process. Once properties are cleared, residents can chose to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to clear other debris under Phase 2 of the effort. The Army process is free for residents, but they must opt in to the program by completing the Right of Entry forms. Residents can also opt out of the free program and hire their own contractors to perform the work.
The EPA operation was initially expected to take as long as three months, but local officials have pushed for the work to be completed in 30 days. Bass said Friday the EPA now estimates the work will be completed by the end of February.
Bass extended the deadline to file city business taxes from end of February to mid-April, and she says she has successfully cut through red tape, including working with the state to facilitate access to building plans.
“We are continuing to identify antiquated red tape restrictions so Palisades neighbors can quickly rebuild. We will work with our state partners to change the law where it’s needed to streamline the rebuilding process, and starting next week, we will open a one-stop rebuilding office where residents can go for every question related to rebuilding and process their permit applications,” she said.
As the public demands answers over the response to the Palisades Fire, including failed hydrants, an empty reservoir and staffing, Bass said she “will work in collaboration with the governor’s office to conduct a comprehensive independent review of the state and local response” to the fire.
“I will work in collaboration with the governor’s office to conduct a comprehensive independent review of the state and local response. In the meantime, the Los Angeles Fire Commission will do an independent investigation on the response,” Bass said.
On recovery efforts, Bass announced that the city has contracted with Hagerty Consulting, which she described as a world-class disaster recovery firm.”
She also reiterated her appointment of longtime civic leader and activist Steve Soboroff to spearhead the city’s recovery efforts, and said she has appointed former Los Angeles Fire Department Interim Chief Jim Featherstone to oversee the city Emergency Operations Center’s Recovery Group.
When asked who is in charge, and possible overlap in the city’s efforts, she responded, “Let me just explain. The person that’s in charge is here. Me. That’s the person that’s in charge.”
Bass alluded there could be arrests as a result of price gouging. We reached out to the L.A. City Attorney’s Office, and a spokesperson said the office is reviewing approximately 900 complaints.
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A nightly curfew for the burn areas remains in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Checkpoints restricting access to the fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades remain in place. Returning residents and authorized contractors are being given access to the Palisades Fire burn area with access passes, which are being distributed by law enforcement at the Disaster Recovery Center in West Los Angeles, 10850 Pico Blvd., and at the West Los Angeles Civic Center, 1645 Corinth Ave. Passes can be obtained daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Red Cross and county health officials have been distributing personal protective equipment to people heading for the burn area, and authorities urged people to wear protection as they sift through the potentially hazardous debris.
The Eaton Fire caused at least 17 deaths, destroyed 9,418 structures and damaged 1,073 more while burning 14,021 acres.
At least 12 people were killed in the Palisades Fire, which burned 23,448 acres, destroyed 6,837 structures and damaged 1,017 others.
The cause of both fires, which began while the region was under a red flag warning for critical fire danger due to a historic wind event that saw gusts of 80 to 100 mph, remains under investigation.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass discussed what has been done so far one month after the Palisades Fire erupted – and what’s still to come.
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