The January 2025 wildfires that devastated the Pacific Palisades and Altadena communities, brought an enormous amount of pain, loss and hardship to tens of thousands of residents. Immediately following the fires, the Bureau of Engineering began to work with our partners in key roles to respond to and assist in the fire recovery process.
Engineering took on a number of roles, including leading the debris removal effort for the City. Debris removal entailed coordinating with Federal, State, County and local officials to determine legal and logistical requirements for residents to allow FEMA and the US Army Corps onto their property. We worked closely with our partners to establish a Right of Entry Opt-in and Opt-out form, which indicated if residents would agree to let the US Army Corps remove debris after FEMA completed the removal of toxic household hazardous materials from lots. Engineering also led the effort, along with the other bureaus in Public Works, to prepare the Palisades for winter storms that were pending.
In addition to these roles, more than 175 Bureau of Engineering employees worked on fire recovery in a number of different capacities. Many worked in the Emergency Operations Center providing vital information and mapping services. Teams immediately went into the Palisades to assess hillside damage and look for other areas of concern. Others staffed the Disaster Recovery Center on a daily basis providing project and permit information and other support to those affected by the fires. And others continue to work in the One Stop Permitting center providing permit help to those looking to rebuild. Some are also working on the design and construction of structures that will replace burned structures.
Engineering employees will continue to work on fire recovery in the months and years ahead.