Concerns about the safety of returning to the land remains due to the potential toxins in the soil.
Authorities say the aftermath of the Los Angeles County January wildfires have cleared more than 4,000 properties participating in the government-run debris removal program.
The crew is removing burning structural relics, trees, ash and other debris along with 6 inches of soil, including 2 to 5 feet of footprints in the burning area.
“The crew continues to work seven days a week across affected communities, prioritizing safety and environmental protection across the business,” Cal OES said in a statement.
The state said $129.1 million FEMA-sponsored has also been distributed to fire victims, with all eight suspended public schools returning to in-person learning as of May 5th.
Construction workers also began rebuilding the home in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisade area. There, a multi-million dollar home stood before it was devastated by the Parisades fire.
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Concerns remain about the safety of returning to land burned in a fire due to the potential threat of toxins such as lead and asbestos in the environment.
“Families deserve to know that there are no safe and dangerous chemicals in their homes. This is a break from decades of FEMA precedent, and there is a risk that the entire community is subject to long-term health threats,” Friedman said in a statement.
At the ad hoc committee at LA Recovery Special Meeting in March, city representatives were heard from the Los Angeles Bureau of Construction about the slow pace of permit issuance after the city approved three permits after the city rebuilt two months after it destroyed more than 6,800 homes in the Pacific Parisades community.
“The current pace of issuing permits locally does not meet the magnitude of the challenges we face. To promote local progress, California will partner with the technology sector and community leaders to provide tools to rebuild local governments faster and more effectively,” Newsom said in a statement.
