EPA finishes first phase of Los Angeles wildfire cleanup before its deadline

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday announced that it completed the first phase of its wildfire cleanup in Los Angeles ahead of its 30-day deadline.

Two major wildfires devastated portions of Los Angeles county last month, which burned through thousands of structures and homes and killed 29 people. The biggest fires took place in Pacific Palisades and Altadena, but a string of smaller blazes also burned in the county.

Phase one of the wildfire cleanup saw the identification and removal of hazardous materials from 13,612 residential properties and 305 commercial properties, which EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said was completed in "record time."

“President Trump set an extremely ambitious deadline for EPA to clean up all hazardous materials in the wake of the deadly California wildfires. Thanks to his leadership and the hard work of countless personnel in the field, we got it done in record time," he said in a statement. "There is still a long road ahead for thousands of residents who lost everything just a few weeks ago, but EPA is proud to do our part in the recovery process. The community will rebuild stronger than ever before."

Zeldin said the county is now ready for phase two of the cleanup, which will be conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The EPA said it also secured temporary storage and staging locations for materials from both fire sites, which will make it easier for residents to rebuild their homes.

The EPA's and FEMA's work comes at no costs to residents.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.