PACIFIC PALISADES — April 22, 2025 — Brigadier General William C. Hannan Jr. of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers led Santa Monica Closeup and a small press delegation through the heart of the Palisades Fire cleanup zone on Tuesday, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at what officials describe as the largest post-fire debris removal operation in U.S. history.
The tour began at Ronald Reagan Palisades Post 283 and proceeded through damaged neighborhoods, temporary staging facilities, and down Pacific Coast Highway to inspect recovery operations at the ocean’s edge.
According to updated figures provided by the Army Corps, 160 personnel are currently assigned to the Emergency Field Office (EFO) in Palisades, with a total of over 450 USACE personnel and approximately 2,800 contractors involved in wildfire response across Southern California.
As of April 22, the Corps is averaging 56 cleared properties per day across the 37-square-mile impact zone, with a recent range of 52–57 per day. Approximately 1,242 truckloads of debris and ash are being cycled daily. Crews continue to work seven days a week, having taken only a single day off—Easter Sunday—since operations began more than 100 days ago.
To date, more than 1,900 properties have been cleared, and debris removal is approaching the 2,000-parcel milestone. Officials estimate that over 550,000 tons of debris have been removed so far—equivalent in weight to five and a half aircraft carriers.
On Pacific Coast Highway, the current focal point of the recovery mission, the Corps is managing 222 properties. Of those, 70 have received final sign-off, while 152 remain in active clearing. These coastal homes, many of them cantilevered over the bluffs, pose unique engineering and environmental challenges.
Material from cleared properties is processed at three Temporary Debris Staging and Reduction Sites (TDSR), including a recently added site at Will Rogers State Park. Concrete is crushed for reuse, and metal is compressed into cubes for recycling. The approach has significantly reduced long-haul trucking needs and increased operational efficiency.
Air quality remains a key concern. The Corps employs wetting methods, double-encapsulated truck loads, air particulate sensors, and on-body monitors to mitigate health risks from dust exposure. Officials report no significant air quality alarms to date.
The Corps emphasized three guiding principles: urgency, partnership, and care. Property owners are notified before work begins and are encouraged to walk the site with engineers to preserve any personal effects or mementos found in the debris.
“This is not just about structures,” said one official. “It’s about restoring homes, dignity, and safety to the people who lost everything.”
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