California Continues Quick and Effective Action to Assist Los Angeles Fires Recovery

Governor Newsom has launched historic recovery and rebuilding efforts to accelerate recovery and signed legislation providing over $2.5 billion to support ongoing response and jumpstart recovery efforts for Los Angeles. The Governor has signed 15 executive orders that together are:

• streamlining rebuilding of homes and businesses;
• cutting red tape and suspending permitting requirements under the California Coastal Act;
• removing bureaucratic barriers to provide critical regulatory relief to help fire survivors rebuild, and access essential services;
• providing tax and mortgage relief to impacted communities and businesses, as well as extending tax deadlines;
• fast-tracking temporary housing and protecting tenants; and
• mobilizing debris removal and cleanup and protecting communities from flooding and landslides.

Additionally, State and federal resources have come together to accelerate a safe recovery for Los Angeles:

• The California Conservation Corps (CCC) responded quickly in recovery efforts by installing silt socks and straw wattles around storm drains in the burn zones to keep contaminants found in the ash from washing into the Los Angeles watershed. This was the largest deployment of Corpsmembers in CCC history targeting erosion and contaminant control.
• The California Department of Water Resources deployed over 30 watershed experts and engineers to Los Angeles to support fire mitigation work in burn scar areas and protect downstream communities by keeping toxic runoff out of local watersheds.
• The California Department of Conservation deployed its Watershed Emergency Response Teams to the front lines to quickly assess post fire hazards such as debris flows, flash floods, and falling rocks.
• The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is supporting intake of burned and impacted wildlife to rehabilitation centers, as well as relocating wildlife to help expedite recovery for both people and animals. CDFW also mobilized staff and volunteers to rescue a population of endangered Steelhead trout in Topanga Creek.
• California State Parks is working with US EPA, Cal OES, and CalEPA to help the recovery effort by hosting two temporary sites to safely process hazardous household materials removed from properties destroyed by the Palisades Fire.
• The U.S. Forest Service continues ongoing assessment of damage from the Eaton and Hughes fires through the deployment of Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Teams. These teams include scientists, historians and other subject matter experts that identify potential emergency threats on federal lands, such as human life and safety, national forest property, critical natural resources, and critical pre-historic and historic properties, and more. In addition, BAER Teams coordinate with other agencies, who assist businesses, homes and landowners preparing for rain events and potential flooding and debris flow in fire affected areas.
• The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is currently engaging in emergency stabilization and rehabilitation (ESR) planning following the Border 2 Fire to mitigate the potential impacts of the burned area, such as mud and debris flows, erosion, and other damages. Additionally, BLM assessed impacts of the Hughes Fire and no emergency stabilization or rehabilitation needs were identified.