California wildfire debris cleanup on track to be completed by midsummer

Debris from the January wildfires in Los Angeles County continues to arrive at the Simi Valley Landfill, with cleanup on track to be largely completed by mid-summer, the Tri County Sentry reports.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told the Simi Valley City Council that debris removal efforts are progressing swiftly, with the majority of truck traffic expected to taper off in the coming weeks. The Corps is overseeing debris removal from the fire zones, which include hard-hit areas of Pacific Palisades and Altadena, according to the report.

As part of the recovery operation, nonhazardous debris is being transported to landfills across southern California, including the Simi Valley Landfill and Recycling Center, operated by WM, Houston.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for removing hazardous household materials from the fire-damaged properties before debris reaches landfills. That includes items such as propane tanks, paints, fertilizers, lithium-ion batteries and bulk asbestos.

WM has an on-site team to review incoming materials to verify compliance with operational permits, says Nicole Stetson, senior district manager at the landfill.

According to Col. Eric Swenson of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, about 77 percent of the parcels affected by the January wildfires have been cleared of visible debris.