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Barger, Bass tout swift pace of fire debris removal
Judge OKs plan to relocate youth from Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall
By Joe Taglieri
joet@beaconmedianews.com
joet@beaconmedianews.com
ocal officials have reported favorable progress in clearing debris from the thousands of properties in the path of the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires earlier this year. Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger commended the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for cleanup efforts following the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre. More than 1.1 million tons of debris have been cleared to date, according to Barger's office. “I wholeheartedly thank the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for their dedication to safely and swiftly clearing debris from our communities,” Barger, who represents the 3rd District where the Eaton Fire struck, said in a statement Friday. “Their work is helping restore neighborhoods impacted by the Eaton Fire and creating a pathway for families and the community at large to begin rebuilding and healing. I’m impressed by the scale and speed of their efforts and appreciate our ongoing partnership.” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Monday announced the USACE has cleared nearly
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Workers assemble the frame of a home under construction in Pacific Palisades following the January wildfire. | Photo courtesy of Mayor Karen Bass' office
2,000 properties in Pacific Palisades of all fire debris that have also received final approval from the county. “Rebuilding is underway — crews are working every day to remove debris in the Palisades and expedite the timeline to get families home,” Bass said in a statement. “Thanks to their work, the city is issuing new permits every week, rebuilding is underway across the Palisades, and our recovery effort is on track to be the
fastest in modern California history.” Bass said 54 rebuilding permits have been issued for 40 addresses so far, with hundreds of applications currently under review. The first permit was issued 57 days after the Palisades Fire's Jan. 7 start, which was more than twice as fast as permits issued following the devastating Camp and Woolsey fires in 2018.
By Joe Taglieri
USACE Col. Jeff Palazzini said nearly 900,000 tons of debris have been removed from Pacific Palisades, which is part of the city of Los Angeles. About 75% of properties in Pacific Palisades that opted into the government's free removal program have been cleared. "On behalf of the hundreds of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees and contractors assisting
See Debris removal Page 16
judge Friday OK'd the Los Angeles County Probation Department's plan to reduce the number of youth detainees at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, which has continued operating despite state regulators declaring it unsuitable to house youth. LA Superior Court Judge Michael Espinoza last month ordered the department to devise a plan on how to move youth out of the facility in Downey. Probation officials submitted a plan May 2 that called for reducing the population from 278 to 175 by Aug. 16 and relocating Los Padrinos detainees to six other facilities. "This plan reflects our continued commitment to balancing public safety, legal compliance, and the rehabilitative needs of the young people in our care," according to a Probation Department statement Friday. "It is key to note that the court denied an indiscriminate mass release of youth, and that Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall will not be fully depopulated or closed. "While the court's decision is an important step forward,
certain variables — such as facility readiness, youth evaluations, and required inspections — must still be completed before the transition can begin. We remain confident in the strength of our plan and our ability to implement it responsibly and safely," probation officials said. The LA County Board of Supervisors on May 6 directed the Probation Department to evaluate recommendations from the county's Probation Oversight Commission that included considering some youth detainees for possible monitored release, an overhaul of the youth intake process to slow the influx of detainees to Los Padrinos and relocating lower-risk boys awaiting sentencing to probation camps. The commission also suggested moving female detainees and "gender-expansive" youth awaiting sentencing to the Dorothy Kirby Center in Commerce and speeding up transfers to court-ordered placements for youth who have been sentenced. Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose 4th District includes Los Padrinos, said earlier this
See Los Padrinos Page 31
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