In order to have debris removed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), property owners affected by the Los Angeles Wildfires must submit a Right of Entry (ROE) form to LA County. The deadline to submit a ROE form has been extended to April 15, 2025.
Typically, FEMA’s authority is limited to debris removal in public areas, but in response to the LA wildfires, FEMA’s authority has been extended to include single family residences and owner-occupied multi-family units.
There is no out-of-pocket cost to have debris removed by USACE, however FEMA is unable to duplicate other forms of funding specific to debris removal. If a property has insurance for debris removal, any residual amount not used by the property owner must be provided through the county to offset the cost of debris removal.
If a property owner opts out of the USACE debris removal program, they become responsible for all permits, inspections and other associated debris removal requirements and costs.
All property owners should submit an ROE form by April 15, 2025, either opting into the program or opting out.
The original announcement can be found here.