Los Angeles District News

Pacific Palisades community honors, remembers Palisades fire victims

Shawn Davis, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:44:00 GMT

After historic rainfall in Los Angeles, the cloudy skies gave way to a quiet, sunny morning, as the Pacific Palisades community came together Jan. 7 to honor and remember those lost in the Palisades Wildfires.

USACE marks final debris removal property in Pacific Palisades Fire recovery

Stephen Baack — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 20:35:35 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, along with local, state and federal partners, marked a major milestone Aug. 26 as crews began debris removal at the last opt-in private property in the Pacific Palisades Fire recovery area.

Three Altadena parks move closer to reopening after wildfires

Stephen Baack — Thu, 29 May 2025 21:58:01 GMT

In the aftermath of the devastating January 2025 Southern California wildfires, recovery is taking root in Altadena — not only in homes and hillsides, but in three public parks that have long served as gathering places for the community.

USACE team helps wildfire survivor reclaim priceless keepsake

Stephen Baack — Tue, 20 May 2025 17:38:00 GMT

In the aftermath of the January wildfires in Southern California, many residents returned to their properties to find little left but ash and debris. Among them was Derek Russell Jr., who had just buried his father — a retired police officer and Army veteran — a month before the Eaton Fire consumed his home.

Behind the Phones: USACE Call Center Provides Lifeline to Wildfire Survivors

Jordan Raiff — Fri, 09 May 2025 22:40:34 GMT

When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was tasked to conduct debris removal following the Southern California wildfires, they knew residents would have questions. On Feb. 1, USACE personnel launched a call center, built a rapid training program and got to work.

NEPA, archaeology specialists support largest USACE wildfire cleanup to date

Jordan Raiff — Fri, 09 May 2025 18:58:37 GMT

Survivors of the Southern California wildfires are working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to clear piles of debris left behind by the unusually destructive January blazes. In the Eaton fire zone, the destruction wasn’t limited to residential housing — it also affected many organizations vital to the Altadena community.

USACE helps one of their own begin to recover

Jordan Raiff — Tue, 06 May 2025 23:38:38 GMT

As a former U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, employee, Darius Wallace, had never seen anything like the Southern California wildfires that destroyed his home Jan. 7.

From risk to recovery: Arborists aid fire survivors

Jordan Raiff — Tue, 06 May 2025 23:13:26 GMT

Following the Southern California wildfires, many survivors returned to find their homes destroyed, with little left standing on their property. Among the few things that often remained were trees.

Task Force Phoenix Community Outreach bringing their response to the people

Jordan Raiff — Tue, 06 May 2025 23:04:01 GMT

Providing information and answering questions from survivors is an important mission for the Southern California Wildfire Response program and the community outreach for Task Force Phoenix has been busy lately.

USACE safety team protects workers from hidden hazards after the flames

Jordan Raiff — Tue, 06 May 2025 22:31:18 GMT

Cleaning up after the Southern California wildfires is no easy task. Given the ages of many of the homes burned within the Eaton Fire, there are numerous hazards to contend with. From lead paint to asbestos, the level of once-safe, now-deadly chemicals at play is no laughing matter. Add in the chemical reactions triggered by such a hot fire, and the situation becomes even worse.

Preserving the past: USACE supports mission to recover fire-surviving artifacts

Jordan Raiff — Tue, 06 May 2025 22:12:59 GMT

When the Southern California wildfires began to rage on Jan. 7, many in the Altadena and Pasadena areas tuned in to their TVs to watch the flames live from the Palisades and Malibu on the other side of Los Angeles. Never in their wildest dreams did they imagine they would be battling blazes of their own.

‘Evacuate Now!’: USACE assists survivors after Southern California wildfires

Jordan Raiff — Tue, 06 May 2025 21:59:14 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing debris removal for thousands of properties destroyed during Southern California’s Palisades and Eaton fires Jan. 7.

Corps of Engineers assesses Eliot Arts Magnet Academy Auditorium destroyed in fire

Jordan Raiff — Tue, 06 May 2025 21:10:00 GMT

Serving as the cornerstone of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Southern California wildfire response is respect for the people, structures and history of the area. In the Eaton Fire zone of Altadena, California, stands Eliot Arts Magnet Academy — a school in the development and promotion of the arts, nurturing the creative talents of many local students.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers teams support California Wildfire recovery

Jordan Raiff — Tue, 06 May 2025 20:09:18 GMT

Working on the Southern California wildfire recovery is incredibly challenging as people come together from across the country to deploy and offer their help.

Optimizing the LA wildfire debris removal mission: USACE leverages expertise across academia, industry, military logistics

Joshua Voda — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 13:53:00 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is leveraging the expertise of industry, academia, the military and other government agencies to ensure the Southern California wildfires response is carried out swiftly and with best practices.

Yorba Linda emergency exercise unites USACE partners, stakeholders

Stephen Baack — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 19:47:27 GMT

More than 40 representatives from federal, state, county and local agencies participated in a Carbon Canyon Dam tabletop exercise July 31 at the Yorba Linda Water District in Placentia, California.

Small town trains for big disasters

Robert DeDeaux — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 02:03:00 GMT

The Los Angeles District Emergency Management team conducted an emergency tabletop training exercise June 25 at Panaca Fire Station in Lincoln County, Nevada, to sharpen the emergency response and coordination skills for local, state and federal agencies.

Corps hosts tribal workshop, strengthens partnerships

Stephen Baack — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 21:49:00 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers teamed up with other local, state and federal agencies Feb. 28 to share information about flood-fighting resources with its tribal partners throughout Southern California.

Hundreds visit Corps’ emergency command control vehicle display at San Diego air show

USACE Los Angeles District Public Affairs — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 17:07:33 GMT

During a recent air show at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, hundreds of visitors toured one of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Emergency Command and Control Vehicles, or ECCV’s.

Corps joins Air Force to unveil new fire station at March Air Reserve Base

Stephen Baack — Sat, 08 May 2021 03:08:00 GMT

Leaders, project engineers and firefighters gathered May 6 at March Air Reserve Base to unveil the installation’s newly constructed fire station, which was a project managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District.