EPA marks one year since Los Angeles wildfires with completion of cleanup effort

One year after a series of destructive wildfires swept through Los Angeles, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is highlighting the scale and speed of its post-fire hazardous materials cleanup, a critical step in protecting water quality and supporting community recovery.

According to EPA, the agency completed its Phase 1 hazardous material removal in 28 days, clearing the way for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct debris removal. The effort marked EPA’s largest wildfire cleanup to date, with 13,612 residential properties and 305 commercial properties surveyed and approved for Phase 2 work. EPA also reported the safe removal and disposal of more than 1,000 lithium-ion batteries, which pose fire, soil, and stormwater contamination risks if left unmanaged.

“EPA was proud to complete our work in Los Angeles on the tightest timeline possible to ensure residents could quickly move forward in their recovery process,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in an EPA press release. “The Trump Administration stands with the thousands of Angelinos who lost everything last year and we hope they can rebuild their homes on their properties as soon as possible.”

More than 1,600 EPA staff from all 10 regions supported the response. EPA noted that wildfire cleanup plays a key role in preventing hazardous debris and ash from being mobilized by rainfall into storm drains, waterways, and downstream communities.

The agency said it continues to coordinate with federal, state, and local partners as rebuilding efforts move forward and plans a return visit to Los Angeles to review recovery progress.