Altadena and Pacific Palisades are buried under toxic debris. Now what?

Good morning. Here’s what you need to know to start your day.

• What to know about debris removal after the fires.
• Were the rains enough to ease Southern California’s fire threat? Here’s what we know.
• Celebrate Lunar New Year at Disneyland California Adventure Park.
• And here’s today’s e-newspaper.

Why debris removal after L.A. fires will take awhile

Before the ash from the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires had settled, local, state and federal leaders were vowing to cut red tape so thousands of families and business owners could begin to rebuild.

But before that can happen, unknown tons of toxic debris must be cleared from neighborhoods.

That process, which is being overseen by federal agencies, could take months — and potentially over a year — to complete.

The uncertain timeline is fueling more anxiety and frustration among fire victims, many of whom have not been cleared to return to their properties due to health concerns.

A man looks through debris at a Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates home that burned in the Palisades fire on Jan. 9, 2025, in Malibu.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Hazardous debris in burn zones is complicating cleanup.

The intense firestorms that ripped through thousands of homes burned a number of household items that become toxic when exposed to heat, including car batteries, ammunition, propane tanks, pesticides and cleaning products.

Now harmful chemicals, which may include asbestos, lead, mercury and other heavy metals, are present in the ash that blankets the burn zones. That’s a health hazard for everyone, but especially residents sifting through wreckage without proper protective gear.

“In other words, it’s not a good idea to haul a dumpster to the destruction zone and clean up the debris yourself,” Times reporter Alene Tchekmedyian explained.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is managing the first phase of the cleanup process, which includes the removal and disposal of hazardous debris. That work is being done at no cost to residents. Once a property is cleared of toxic debris, the agency will place a sign noting the work is complete. It could take months for the EPA to finish that work.

Then comes Phase Two: the removal of all other debris. The Army Corps of Engineers is offering a voluntary and free private property debris removal program to residents who opt in.

Property owners who don’t sign up for the free service can hire private companies to collect and haul away debris from their parcels and submit an insurance claim for reimbursement.

A man stands in the ruins of his Altadena home after the Eaton fire on Jan. 22, 2025.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

The two-phase process could take up to 18 months.

That’s according to Col. Eric Swenson of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who cautioned Pacific Palisades residents at a recent community meeting to wait until the EPA completes their cleanup phase.

“The order of Phase Two debris removal will depend on terrain, when Phase One removal is completed for each property and whether the entire neighborhood has signed up, which allows the corps to work on clusters of homes instead of individual properties,” my colleague Noah Haggerty noted in his recent reporting.

Mark Pestrella, director of L.A. County Public Works, told Noah that residents don’t have to wait for debris cleanup to be completed before starting the building permit application process.

The lengthy, ambiguous timeline drew complaints during a town hall Sunday in Pacific Palisades, where residents vented their frustrations and demanded that officials speed up the cleanup process.

“My North Star is my commitment to get you back home,” Mayor Karen Bass told them.

Mexican National Guardsmen help search for remains in the rubble of a beachfront home on Pacific Coast Highway on Jan. 14, 2025, in Malibu.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Where is that debris going?

The EPA is preparing to truck hazardous debris from the Eaton fire zone to a parcel of land in unincorporated L.A. County near the 210 and 605 freeways. The agency plans to haul materials there daily, where it will be processed, packaged and shipped off for disposal.

That plan drew swift objection from the San Gabriel Valley cities of Azusa, Duarte, Irwindale and Baldwin Park, which said they did not receive notice or an opportunity to discuss the site with the agency.

“While the Cities are completely in solidarity with our neighboring communities, we are extremely disappointed with the lack of respect to our local residents for not being notified of the EPA’s clean up efforts and having toxic materials transported to our backyards,” officials from the four cities wrote in a statement.

Local leaders and congressional representatives say they have met with EPA officials and called on them to be more transparent with the communities surrounding the site.

“The EPA said it would take steps to ensure safety at the site,” Times reporter Clara Harter wrote. “Those include air quality monitoring, the use of a water truck to suppress dust and emissions, and continued environmental testing of the site after it closes.”

A similar processing site is planned on six acres east of Pacific Coast Highway near Topanga Canyon, an agency official told Clara.

Today’s top stories

A view of Southern California Edison power transmission towers in the Eaton Canyon area where the Eaton fire was reportedly first spotted in Altadena.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Southern California Edison’s role in L.A. fires

• Four SCE lines over Eaton Canyon saw a momentary increase of electrical current about the same time the destructive Eaton fire is believed to have ignited on Jan. 7, the utility company told state regulators in a filing Monday.
• A video offers new evidence suggesting the massive Eaton fire may have ignited at a Southern California Edison transmission tower just moments after flashes of blue and white light flared near the electrical equipment.
• The utility company claims there were no electrical anomalies on its transmission lines in Eaton Canyon leading up to the Eaton fire.
• SCE also denied causing a destructive 2017 fire, but federal authorities believe the company suppressed evidence.

Trump reenters California’s water wars

• Trump has issued an order to put “people over fish,” ordering federal agencies to restart work to “route more water” from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to other parts of the state “for use by the people there who desperately need a reliable water supply.”
• The directive was praised by agencies that supply water to farmlands in the San Joaquin Valley, which could receive more water under the changes ordered by Trump.
• State officials said the approach outlined by the president could do substantial harm by putting at risk water supplies as well as protections for vulnerable fish species.

The Times launches another podcast

• Reporter Christopher Goffard of “Dirty John” is back with a new podcast, “Crimes of the Times,” where he uncovers what really happened in the most compelling cases in L.A. and beyond.
• The first episode takes a look at the Hollywood murder of a young actress that changed America. Listen on Apple and Spotify.

What else is going on

• Were the rains enough to ease Southern California’s fire threat? Here’s what we know.
• Southern California Edison wants customers to pay for wildfires linked to its equipment.
• Altadena’s Black residents were disproportionally hit by the Eaton fire, a UCLA study says.
• Meryl Streep ‘cut a car-sized hole in the fence,’ and fled the Palisades fire through a neighbor’s yard, nephew says.
• Newsom taps Magic Johnson, Casey Wasserman and Mark Walter to lead philanthropic L.A. fire recovery initiative.
• LAPD’s explanation behind the ‘Help’ satellite image that went viral.
• CNN anchor Jim Acosta will exit the network after turning down a midnight shift.
• Cassia, the Santa Monica restaurant ‘colonizing the colonizers,’ is set to close in February.
• L.A. County’s first safe parking for homeless people living in RVs opens in Crenshaw.
• A San Francisco tech founder and his wife were arrested for allegedly defrauding investors out of millions.

Get unlimited access to the Los Angeles Times. Subscribe here.

Commentary and opinions

• President Trump demands GOP unity. Here’s why he might not get it, columnist Jonah Goldberg writes.
• The population exodus from antiabortion states is underway and may be picking up steam, columnist Michael Hiltzik writes.
• No one polices men’s bodies the way we police women’s bodies, writes columnist Robin Abcarian.
• Trump pardoned a lot of bad apples. Now he and Republicans own the barrelful, columnist Mark Z. Barabak writes.
• Trump’s order to freeze spending is patently unconstitutional, writes guest columnist Erwin Chemerinsky.
• Let’s not worsen L.A.’s inequality when recovering from the fires, writes guest columnist Jake Levine.
• No one should need the Watch Duty app, writes guest columnist John Mills. As fires near, officials should communicate better.

This morning’s must-reads

Morris Chestnut photographed in Hollywood in January 2025.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Hollywood can ‘eat people and spit them out.’ Morris Chestnut refuses to be one of them. While he has enjoyed a fairly consistent career since his acclaimed debut in 1991’s “Boyz N the Hood,” Morris Chestnut has mostly been featured in ensemble or supporting roles, many of them romantic vehicles showcasing his good looks and athletic build. His new CBS show “Watson” represents his hoped-for ascension into the ranks of leading men.

Other must-reads

• Chinese films dodging censors have no place to go. Can they crack into Taiwan?

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected].

For your downtime

Eamon Ore-Giron’s “Angelitos Negros,” an acrylic mural, was painted at the entrance to the Hammer Museum for the Made in L.A. biennial in 2018.

(Brian Forrest / Paramo Gallery / Fleisher/Ollman / Hammer Museum)

Going out

• 🖼️The highly anticipated Made in L.A. biennial is approaching, and the Hammer Museum has announced the 27 artists participating in the regional survey.
• 🍜This year, more than 40 new menu items will honor Asian cuisine at Disney California Adventure Park’s Lunar New Year 2025 celebration.

Staying in

• 👐Five easy exercises for your hands, wrists, forearms and elbows to alleviate desk job aches and pains.
• 📙MGM was once Hollywood’s most successful studio. Author Charles Arrowsmith writes about the Jewish men who made it happen in his new book.
• 🧀 Here’s a recipe for Parmesan mac and cheese.
• ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.

A question for you: What movie do you think should win the Oscar for Best Picture?

Shelby Holland writes: “Love this newsletter! I think ‘Challengers’ was the best movie of 2024, but somehow wasn’t nominated. Justice for Zendaya and the movie’s energetic score. Since ‘Challengers’ can’t win, I would pick ‘Wicked’ since it is a fun, crowdpleaser our world needs right now.”

Email us at [email protected], and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.

And finally ... your photo of the day

Show us your favorite place in California! Send us photos you have taken of spots in California that are special — natural or human-made — and tell us why they’re important to you.

Crankshaft Junction in Death Valley.

(Scott McKenzie)

Today’s great photo is from Scott McKenzie of Bishop: Crankshaft Junction in Death Valley.

Scott writes:

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Ryan Fonseca, reporter
Defne Karabatur, fellow
Andrew Campa, Sunday reporter
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Hunter Clauss, multiplatform editor
Christian Orozco, assistant editor
Stephanie Chavez, deputy metro editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters

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