Right of Entry Forms

LA County Public Works Fire Debris Hotline: 844-347-3332 | EPA Hotline: 1-833-798-7372 |  US Army Corps of Engineers Debris Call Center: 213-308-8305

THE DEADLINE TO PARTICIPATE IS MARCH 31, 2025

As a resident affected by the wildfires, you have two choices for managing debris removal on your property.

How to Opt-In:

  • Step 1: Complete and submit the Right of Entry (ROE) form and authorize the government to manage debris removal on your property.

ROE Form Availability:

What Opting In Entails: By opting in, you authorize the government to perform the following activities on your property:

  1. Property Assessment: Identify site hazards, hazardous trees, environmental resources, and asbestos-containing materials.
  2. Asbestos Removal: Safely remove asbestos-containing materials if required.
  3. Tree Removal: Remove fire or wind-damaged trees assessed as hazardous and other trees that impact public areas or debris removal access.
  4. Ash and Soil Removal: Remove surface ash, including up to 6 inches of incidental soil.
  5. Burned Debris Removal: Remove burned home remains, furniture, personal belongings, appliances, and patio furniture.
  6. Structural Demolition: Demolish clearly destroyed structures.
  7. Vehicle Removal: Remove damaged and destroyed vehicles, vessels, and other titled property.
  8. Erosion Control: Install erosion control measures such as straw wattles, compost socks, and hydromulch.
  9. Environmental Monitoring: Conduct tribal, archaeological, and biological monitoring for environmental and historical preservation.
  10. Potential Foundation Removal:
    • Your Choice: When you opt into the debris removal program, you will need to decide whether you want the government to remove your property’s foundation or leave it in place.

How to Opt-Out:

  • Step 1: Fill out an opt-out form:
  • Step 2: Apply for a Permit from the County in EPIC-LA (available soon) to handle debris removal on your own after you receive EPA certification of phase 1 completion for your property.
  • Step 3:The County will review your application and your contractor’s work plan to ensure compliance with safety and environmental standards.
    • You will be required to meet all the same requirements as USACE.
    • Once approved, you can begin to manage the debris removal independently.
  • Costs: You will be responsible for any costs of the removal that exceed your insurance settlement amount for debris removal.

Your Options: Opt-In or Opt-Out

As a resident affected by the wildfires, you have two choices for managing debris removal on your property:

Opt-In to the Government-Run Debris Removal Program:

If you need help filling out your form or have additional questions, please call the LA County Public Works Fire Debris Hotline at 844-347-3332. You may also email PalisadesFire@dpw.lacounty.gov or EatonFire@dpw.lacounty.gov.

You may also visit a Disaster Recovery Center for in-person assistance. Disaster Recovery Centers are open to the public from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Rights of Entry Forms

Click here to download FAQ document

Properties with destroyed structures should fill out and submit an ROE.

A right of entry form authorizes the government to access eligible properties to clear burned debris, destroyed structures, damaged vehicles, vessels, and chimneys, also referred to as Phase 2.

No, a ROE form is not required for the Phase 1 hazardous debris removal by the US EPA. Phase 1 is already underway as of the week of 1/27/25, and you cannot opt out. The ROE form is only required for Phase 2. For more information about Phase 1 vs. Phase 2, visit recovery.lacounty.gov/debris-removal.

The ROE forms are available online at recovery.lacounty.gov/debris-removal/. ROE forms are also available at Disaster Recovery Centers.

Yes, the ROE form will be available in Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Russian, Armenian, and Farsi.

A checklist is included with the ROE that provides the information needed to complete the form. If you don’t know all the information needed, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works will work with you to complete the form and verify your ownership of the property.

Yes, please call the LA County Public Works Debris Removal Hotline (844) 347-3332 for assistance with your ROE form.

The deadline to opt into the government sponsored debris removal program is March 31, 2025.

You should fill out the form as soon as possible, unless you are opting out of free debris removal by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Debris removal by Army Corps cannot proceed until you submit your form, and you may hold up work in your neighborhood by not filing.

No, the debris removal process is not a first come, first served process. But getting your forms in early, and encouraging your neighbors to do so as well, will speed the work in your neighborhood.

If you have a destroyed structure on your property, please fill out and submit the form.

If you opt in, this work will be performed for you by the Army Corps, with no cost to you. Your insurance payment for debris removal will be assigned to the government to help pay for the work; even if the insurance payment does not fully cover the work, the work will be performed at no charge to you. You do not need insurance to participate in the program.

If you opt out of the program, you must receive approval from the County and a permit from the applicable local city authority to proceed with debris removal. Then you will be responsible for hiring the appropriately licensed and certified contractors. You will be responsible for all costs of debris removal and asbestos abatement.

If you opt out of the program, once the US Environmental Protection Agency has completed its Phase 1 work, you will be responsible for hiring the appropriately licensed and certified contractors to remove the debris. This will include retaining a Certified Asbestos Consultant (CAC) to conduct a survey to identify asbestos in debris. If the CAC finds asbestos, you will need to hire an abatement contractor; and the CAC and abatement contractor will work together to submit an asbestos cleanup plan to South Coast AQMD for review and approval. More information on this process can be found here.

Your contractors will need to be approved by the County and your city, and you will be responsible for all costs of debris removal. The work must be completed in compliance with all local rules and regulations related to debris removal. Private contractors must also adhere to the same haul routes and safety standards being used by the Army Corps to minimize neighborhood disruption. Please check in regularly for additional information and updates on specific regulations at recovery.lacounty.gov or call the LA County Public Works Fire Debris Hotline at 844-347-3332.

Yes, if you submit the ROE form and then decide to opt out, you are able to do so. However, it may cause delays.

Once your opt out application is approved, your permit issued, and any work is begun on your property, you cannot opt back in. You will bear the full cost of debris removal and disposal.

If you don’t have insurance, you can opt in to the Army Corps debris removal program (Phase 2) at no cost to you. If you opt out, you will be responsible for the cost of clearing the debris from your property.

Debris removal by the Army Corps has no cost to you regardless of your insurance coverage or whether you have any insurance at all. If you do have insurance that covers this work, the government will ask your insurance company, not you, for reimbursement of costs up to the limits of that specific coverage.

First, the County will review your ROE and ensure it has been filled out correctly. Property records will be used to verify property ownership. Afterwards, the ROE will be transferred to the contracted debris management teams for processing and scheduling.

Properties cannot begin Phase 2 until they have received a Phase 1 clearance from the EPA. As ROEs are collected and ownership is verified, the Army Corps will batch properties together for clearing with the objective of moving as quickly as possible and addressing health and safety issues as a top priority.

No, Phase 1 and Phase 2 will run concurrently. Once each cluster of properties is cleared under Phase 1, the US Army Corps of Engineers can begin Phase 2 cleanup on properties where ROEs have been submitted and ownership has been verified.

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