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  • May

    A decommissioned air traffic control tower at Plant 42 falls April 29 during its demolition at the Air Force installation in Palmdale, California. Crews used an excavator and cable system to safely bring down the structure, which had its support beams cut in advance.

    End of an era: USACE, Air Force remove aging tower at Plant 42

    A distinctive structure on the Palmdale horizon came down April 29 as the original air traffic control tower at U.S. Air Force Plant 42 was demolished, ending a chapter in the facility’s aviation history that dates back more than 60 years.
  • Farnsworth Park sits quiet and fenced off in Altadena, California, as crews continue wildfire debris removal May 23, 2025. The park remains closed to the public for safety as cleanup progresses, with the historic Davies Building and nearby pickleball courts visible in the distance.

    Three Altadena parks move closer to reopening after wildfires

    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.
  • A picture of Roselle Pettit, an engineering technician from the Sacramento District working out of the Tucson office.

    Tracking the cleanup: USACE technician powers debris data operations

    After the early January wildfires in Southern California, the Eaton and Palisades fire zones have been left with an estimated 7.5 million tons of debris to clean up. Given the number of historical homes in the area, this debris requires specialized treatment and must be transported to designated landfills. Ensuring this is done correctly is a major reason the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers deployed in support of the mission.
  • Col. Sonny Avichal, commander of the Emergency Field Office – Eaton, returns Derek Russell Jr.’s late father’s police badge May 5 at the Southern California Wildfire Recovery Field Office building lobby in Pasadena, California. The badge was recovered from the debris of Russell’s home following the Eaton Fire in January.

    USACE team helps wildfire survivor reclaim priceless keepsake

    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.
  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employee Kelly Simoneaux, a security specialist with the Sacramento District is currently deployed in support of the Southern California wildfires as a call center representative. USACE is working in partnership with local, state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in response to the Southern California Wildfires.

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

    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.
  • Members of USACE conduct initial debris site surveys for the first batch of non-residential properties approved for USACE debris removal. USACE is working in partnership with local, state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in response to the Southern California Wildfires.

    NEPA, archaeology specialists support largest USACE wildfire cleanup to date

    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 employee Darius Wallace stands amonst the charred remains of what was once his home. USACE is working in partnership with local, state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in response to the Southern California Wildfires.

    USACE helps one of their own begin to recover

    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.
  • Arborist Victor Velazquez, from Tetra Tech, shakes hands with Greg Gully, contract engineer with USACE following Velazquez's inspection of questionable trees during the debris cleanup of the Southern California wildfires. USACE is working in partnership with local, state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in response to the Southern California Wildfires.

    From risk to recovery: Arborists aid fire survivors

    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.
  • Uniformed and civilian members of USACE provide outreach to the Altadena community while attending events in the Eaton fire zone. Answering questions, providing guidance, and a listening ear, they are some of the most prominant faces on the USACE mission. USACE is working in partnership with local, state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in response to the Southern California Wildfires.

    Task Force Phoenix Community Outreach bringing their response to the people

    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 Officer for EFO-Eaton, Taylor Bayless stands at the ready to identify and mitigate safety risks for all personell working the wildfire recovery zone.

    USACE safety team protects workers from hidden hazards after the flames

    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.
  • USACE Employees and members of the nonprofit Save The Tiles take a brief moment from wrapping and packing for a group photo. USACE is working in partnership with local, state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in response to the Southern California Wildfires.

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

    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.
  • Brian and Pamela Huges sit down in their long-term rental with visual information specialist Marti Allen from the Louisville, KY district to discuss what happened leading up to and following the Southern California wildfires. USACE is working in partnership with local, state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in response to the Southern California Wildfires.

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

    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.
  • Civil engineer (structural) Ian Buchanan performs a visual inspection of higherup walls inside the Eliot Arts Magnet Academy in Altadena, California. The Southern California wildfires of January 2025 left much of the school heavily damaged. His inspections will help the efforts by local residents to preserve the tower, April 15. USACE is working in partnership with local, state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in response to the Southern California Wildfires.

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

    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.
  • Local government liaison Tony Porter stands ready to deploy to help those in need recover from disaster.

    Tony Porter: Paving the way from flames and destruction to hope, rebuilding

    When the Southern California wildfires began Jan. 7, residents never expected to see destruction of this magnitude. As people raced from their homes with little to no notice, they grabbed what they could —leaving behind memories and family mementos, many of which spanned generations. Not knowing just how bad things would get, many survivors found themselves able to do little but hope and pray.
  • Outgoing Safety Supervisor Tony McCoy, and Los Angeles District employee, provides an outgoing message to quality assurance supervisors and representatives before they begin work in Altadena, California, April 14. These meetings are a part of their daily routine to ensure supervisors are made aware of any plan changes, as well as to discuss any safety concerns. USACE is working in partnership with local, state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in response to the Southern California Wildfires.

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

    Working on the Southern California wildfire recovery is incredibly challenging as people come together from across the country to deploy and offer their help.
  • Darius Wallace, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District employee and an Eaton Wildfire survivor, is greeted by USACE teammates April 30 outside his property in Altadena, California.

    USACE teammate receives unwavering support after wildfire devastation

    A longtime U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employee lost his Altadena home in January when the Eaton Fire swept through the area, destroying thousands of structures in its path. Darius Wallace, a 43-year veteran of the USACE Los Angeles District, returned to the property recently, joined by leaders from both USACE’s Southern California Wildfires Debris Recovery Mission – Task Force Phoenix and the LA District, who came to show their solidarity.

  • April

    Two people in vests and hardhats observe a debris removal operations site

    Contracting enables speed, precision in USACE’s wildfires recovery effort

    Contracting is a critical capability that ensured recovery operations from the outset of the Southern California wildfires recovery mission moved with speed, efficiency and precision.
  • Jason Bostjancic, 412th Test Engineering Group deputy director, second from right, talks with Col. Andrew Baker, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District commander, left, about the technical features of the Flight Test Engineering Laboratory during Baker’s April 3 visit to Edwards Air Force Base, California. The LA District designed and constructed the two-story, 75,000-square-foot laboratory, engineering and office complex for the Air Force.

    USACE LA District helps bring big changes to Edwards AFB

    The commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District visited two Air Force installations April 3 to meet with project partners and assess progress on key construction efforts.

  • March

    Leaders, organizers and presenters from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District team pose for photos before presentations begin at the Iron King Mine Project Industry Day Jan. 28 at Gateway Community College in Phoenix. (Photo by Robert DeDeaux, USACE PAO)

    LA District hosts Iron King Mine Project Industry Day

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s Mega Projects Division hosted the Iron King Mine Project Industry Day Jan. 28 at Gateway Community College.
  • Lt. Gen. William "Butch" Graham, 56th chief of engineers and commanding general of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, views wildfire damage Jan. 24 in Pacific Palisades, California. USACE Los Angeles District received a mission from FEMA Jan. 17 to assist with debris removal in support of the State of California following the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County.

    USACE continues wildfire debris removal efforts in Altadena, Pacific Palisades

    On Jan. 7, two large wildfires swept through Altadena and Pacific Palisades, burning more than 50,000 acres and destroying more than 16,000 structures — becoming one of the most destructive wildfires in California history.