Deadline for LA fire victims to opt in to debris clean-up program is close. Here's why it matters

The deadline for L.A. County property owners who were affected by the Eaton and Palisades fires to opt in or out of a public debris removal program is coming up on March 31.

A county official said Wednesday that around 2,000 property owners have yet to make a decision. More than 9,700 properties have joined the program and 1,022 have opted out. The "Phase 2" clean up is now 6% complete, according to an online tracker that reports 866 properties have had their debris removal completed.

At a news briefing in Altadena, Los Angeles County Public Works Principal Engineer Chris Sheppard emphasized that property owners who sign up for the debris removal, which is led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, can choose to withdraw later on.

But March 31 is the deadline to sign up, or else property owners will be expected to manage debris removal costs on their own.

" Just make your selection one way or the other. We have to hear from everyone," Sheppard said. "If you're still uncertain, opting in is a good way to go."

How much does debris removal cost? What about insurance?

Sheppard said insurance concerns and confusion have prompted some property owners to opt out.

The public debris removal program is free for property owners . However, if a property owner has insurance, the insurance company will have to reimburse the government for up to the amount of debris removal covered by the owner's plan. L.A. County will be responsible for this process, which will take place once debris clearing is complete.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' contractors are not removing structures like pools, patios and driveways from properties, meaning some homeowners may need to hire a private contractor to finish the job.

The county's fire recovery website says that property owners can use their insurance money to do clean-up that is not covered by the government program.

"The County will only collect remaining insurance proceeds, if any, after you have removed fire-related debris not included as part of the government sponsored program," the county website states .

What’s the clean-up timeline?

Another reason property owners might not sign up for government debris removal is if they want all their clean-up done in one fell swoop, Sheppard said.

That was the case for Lara Lund, who lost her home in Altadena to the Eaton Fire. She hired a private contractor to clear the debris on her property for $20,000, and said her insurance fully covered the expense.

" Doing it myself got my driveway cleared. Doing it myself got my walkway cleared, got my trampoline cleared," she said.

Lund also said she and her husband chose to opt out of the government program because they didn't know how long it would take.

" There's thousands and thousands of homes that have to get cleared," she continued. "Somebody's gonna be the last one."

Property owners who choose to use a private contractor for debris removal will have until June 30 to complete the clean up. Sheppard said the Army Corps has a clean-up end date of January 2026. He said properties near schools and environmentally sensitive areas like the coastline are being prioritized.

The public program does not currently include multi-unit dwellings and businesses. Expanding that eligibility will be up to FEMA, according to the county. But officials said those property owners should still submit a form to opt in or out of public clean-up by March 31 in case they're later brought into the program.

Kerjon Lee, a spokesperson for Los Angeles County Public Works, said there's no timeline on when that decision will be made.

"We're recommending you opt in because that gives you more options past the deadline," he said.

How to opt in to debris removal

Property owners need to fill out a " right of entry " form to join the debris removal program. We have more details on the program and steps to opt in or out here .

Sheppard said if property owners don't initiate debris removal, they could be subject to abatement proceedings.  

" Someone can't just not respond," he said. "There will be an effort to clean up all properties, including non-responsive properties."