California Integrated Waste Management Board

Disaster Preparedness and Response

Wildfire Preparedness

In 2007 California experienced several devastating wildfires that destroyed lives, property, businesses, and the environment. This summer California will face the same threat of devastating wildfires and we should prepare for a catastrophic wildfire event. This web page provides information and other links to disaster preparedness and responses to a catastrophic wildfire event.

In October 2007, local, state, and federal disaster declarations were issued due to widespread and destructive wildfires in Southern California. The California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated in collaboration with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) to support the local emergency management and incident command.

The California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) convened a multi-agency coordination group (Debris MAC) on behalf of Cal/EPA and OES, to assist federal, state, and local agency coordination in the debris removal aspects of recovery from this disaster. CIWMB also convened a Facility Operator/Local Enforcement Agency (LEA) subgroup to coordinate and facilitate any issues affecting a safe and reliable local solid waste infrastructure for the response and recovery efforts.

Major impacted local jurisdictions (San Diego City and County, San Bernardino County) implemented coordinated debris management programs for the 2007 Southern California wildfires to ensure cleanup of all properties on a timely basis, while maximizing potential matching funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Contractors were hired locally to complete debris removal from private properties. Site access and cost recovery from insurance (if available) was addressed through a voluntary Right-Of-Entry (ROE) Permit process. Property owners were compelled through an abatement process to conduct debris removal on their own or opt into the coordinated program, if necessary, to ensure cleanup of all properties. A separate initial phase of hazard and household hazardous waste assessment and removal from all properties was conducted by the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), U.S. EPA, and county hazardous materials programs. The DTSC and Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) also conducted an ash sampling and characterization study to confirm FEMA eligibility with respect to imminent threat to public health posed by the ash.

Coordinated debris removal programs for the 2007 Southern California wildfires were based in part on the successful program implemented for the 2007 Angora wildfire near Lake Tahoe. Structural debris was removed using CIWMB-managed contractors from all 256 properties destroyed by the Angora wildfire. The removal was completed on an expedited basis within 40 days of fire containment, and erosion control measures in place before the annual wet season.

The CIWMB prepared these guidelines to assist local governments with potential wildfire debris management and disposal, household hazardous waste collection and storage, and ash cleanup and disposal. These guidelines will be updated as more information becomes available.

Disaster Debris Management

Depending on the circumstances and extent of damage caused by a wildfire, local government jurisdictions may want to develop a coordinated approach to fire debris cleanup. This would generally involve some level of oversight on behalf of the local government, whether it be:

  • Establishment of standards for cleanup (based on public health and safety findings from prior fires);
  • Local government contracting and managing the removal of debris from private properties for those entities voluntarily participating in the coordinated program; or,
  • In unique situations, using State-contracted cleanup crews.

Considerations such as extent of damage to private properties, level of declaration (local, State or federal), funding availability, and immediate threat to human health, public safety and the environment may lead a local government to develop any one of these coordinated approaches to debris cleanup. Alternatively, jurisdictions may opt to require individual private property owners to conduct their own debris cleanups, with no local government involvement. In either case, the following guidelines/tools may be used to manage fire/disaster debris cleanup projects.

Public Health/Safety Initial Guidelines: Guidance on disaster debris management, including selecting and securing temporary storage sites, is available in Local Enforcement Agency Advisory #43--Disaster Assistance, as well as in the Disaster Plan. LEA Advisory #43 also contains guidance on financial and technical assistance, as well as information to collect for the CIWMB.

General fire debris hazards and cleanup information is also available on the Cal/EPA website to assist in fire debris cleanup.

Individual Homeowner Cleanup: The document Project Specifications for the Angora Fire Structural Debris Removal--Lake Tahoe, California (Adobe PDF, 386 KB, dated July 16, 2007), is one of two structural debris removal plans prepared by CIWMB for El Dorado County. Other guidance documents are listed further below.

Coordinated Debris Removal Operation for Local Governments: Scope of Work for the Angora Fire Structural Debris Removal--Lake Tahoe, California (Adobe PDF, 3.1 MB, dated September 15, 2007). Debris removal plan prepared by CIWMB for El Dorado County.

Local government jurisdictions choosing to coordinate a fire debris cleanup may also want to consider the following:

  • Debris removal operations center establishment;
  • Voluntary participation programs, including the right-of-entry permit (Adobe PDF, 159 KB), which allows County/City/State agency to proceed with cleanup on privately owned properties;
  • Household hazardous waste collection/coordination;
  • Removal of landscape/vegetation;
  • Erosion control.

For technical questions regarding wildfire debris and its removal, contact Todd Thalhamer.

Disaster Waste Tracking: Jurisdictions may deduct disaster waste tonnage in their annual reports to the CIWMB, so that it will not negatively impact their solid waste diversion rates. In order for jurisdictions to be able to claim this disposal reduction, it is essential that disaster waste be tracked at disposal facilities.

Disaster waste needs to be tracked separately. For each disaster waste load received, facilities need to record the tons by jurisdiction. Applicable jurisdictions will need to be able to obtain an accounting that shows how much disaster waste originated from their jurisdiction. If this data is not tracked in this manner, it is very difficult for jurisdictions to substantiate a disposal reduction, thereby negatively impacting their ability to achieve their mandated diversion goals.

Local government and emergency personnel have the most specific knowledge of areas that burned and facilities that are--or soon will be--receiving disaster waste. We ask that you assist us in notifying all applicable facilities regarding these record-keeping needs.

Please contact Charlotte Sabeh, supervisor in charge of disposal reporting, with questions on tracking disaster waste.

Waste Facilities and More Resources

Guidance Documents

CIWMB

Other Cal/EPA Boards, Departments, and Offices

Other State Agency

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Affected local governments may be eligible to receive up to 75 percent of the eligible cost for debris removal and emergency protective measures that were undertaken in response to the fires. The emergency declaration also makes cost-shared funding available to the state for approved projects that reduce future disaster risks.

FEMA brochures and information on specific disaster debris issues are located at the following sites:

Contacts

State Agencies

Last updated: June 6, 2008
Disaster Preparedness and Response  http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Disaster/
Office of Public Affairs: opa@ciwmb.ca.gov  (916) 341-6300