The last private property cleared of debris damaged by the 2025 Pacific Palisades Wildfire was located in the hills with multiple properties below. The property was saved until the end so that lessons learned clearing previous properties could be applied. Saving it until the end also provided time for USACE and its contractors to develop a plan for a safe operation.

USACE begins debris removal on last private property in Altadena The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, along with representatives from FEMA, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Los Angeles County and the Altadena Town Council hosted a ceremony Aug. 14 in honor of the beginning of the debris removal from the final private property assigned to USACE within the Eaton Fire's impact area in Altadena, California. The property is owned by Beverly Outterbridge, her daughter, Tami, and was the family home of the late artist John Outterbridge, a Los Angeles arts icon and Tami’s father, who was known in the art community as “Bridge.” Tami said she was grateful to be the last property because it gave them the opportunity to look for items relating to her father’s art legacy. The artifacts will become part of tribute pieces by other artists dedicated to her late father, as part of a major exhibit entitled, “DIGGING BRIDGE.” To date, USACE has completed debris removal from 5,585 properties on more than 14,000 acres of land affected by the Eaton Fire.

This is what we're trained to do; we solve complex problems by breaking them down into simpler elements. This parking garage in the Pacific Palisades had condominiums on top that were damaged by the January 2025 southern California wildfires. The condo's HOA reinforced the structure so our contractor's equipment could clear the debris.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has completed restoration of Temescal Canyon Road in Pacific Palisades and returned it to the City of Los Angeles. The road was used as a temporary staging site for debris removal following the January 2025 southern California wildfires, the largest debris removal mission in USACE history.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Recovery Field Office Commander Col. Eric Swenson provides a look at the past six months of collaboration and debris removal effort in the Eaton and Palisades fire impact area. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers video by Charles Delano)

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Recovery Field Office Commander Col. Eric Swenson provides a look at the past six months of collaboration and debris removal effort in the Eaton and Palisades fire impact area. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers video by Charles Delano)

Col. Jeff Palazzini, Commander of the Palisades Emergency Field Office, provides an update on the Southern California wildfire debris removal mission.

Shana Rushing, a Critical Stress Incident Management Lead for the 2025 Southern California wildfires, describes what her position entails and why she chooses to deploy.

Aden Keim, a quality assurance inspector for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2025 Southern California wildfires, discusses his role and what deployment means to him.