Joseph Correia’s lot was the first to be cleared under Phase 2. He stands in front of the tree, he trimmed shortly before the fire.
Resident Joseph Correia, who lived on a residence on Depauw Street, received a call on Wednesday, on an unfamiliar Malibu number. The woman on the line told him “We’re getting to start on Phase 2 on your lot in the next three to five days.”
Friday night he received a call that the Army Corp of Engineers would be on his property Saturday.
Army Corps of Engineers, Colonel Eric Swenson had said in a townhall meeting that before starting debris removal on a property the resident would be notified three to five days before and get a call the day before.
Corriea and the Corps showed up promptly at 7 a.m. on Saturday morning. The resident was told his was the first lot being cleared in Pacific Palisades.
There was a two-hour delay before starting because the Corps had to call 811 –
Dig Safe” – to ensure the utilities were turned off.
“It was just like they said,” Corriea said. “They wrapped it [the debris] like a burrito. They put plastic in the truck, filled it and then wrapped the plastic over the top.” The truck driver then goes to Simi Valley where it is dumped. The trucks have a Palisades Fire sign in the windshield.
Corriea said the Corps were great to work with and he had a safe on the property, which they were able to find and open.
He asked Colonel Brian Sawser, who is focused solely on the Palisades; how long would it take for Phase 2 and was told the Corps was planning on finishing Phase 2 in six months.
Colonel Eric Swenson, who is overseeing Phase 2, told CTN there is now a person specifically for the Palisades and one for Altadena.
In the Palisades, the Corps were working on at least three properties on Sunday, one of Via de la Paz, a second on Swarthmore and this one on DePauw.
For reference, Corriea had submitted his ROE on January 28.
His 4,700 square lot, and the remains of his 1992 house will be entirely cleared by Saturday evening. The Corriea home had been built to withstand a bush fire with a tile roof, no eaves and a stucco exterior.
He, like many Palisadians, wonder “Why we were left to burn?”
The retired L.A. County Fire Captain, with 23 years in that position, plans to rebuild and has already gone to the “one-stop shopping” permit place on Sawtelle to request his blueprints. (Supposedly, all residential plans from 1978 through the present are on file.)
Shortly before the fire, Correia had paid to have giant parkway tree trimmed – and his uneven sidewalk replaced because he was tired of waiting for the City to repair that hazard.
An arborist had been to his yard, and had identified the tree species, but it was unclear what the different markings, white x, blue dot, white lines, orange ties meant.
Correia had nothing but praise for the Corps workers, “The guys have been awesome,” he said. “They worked until 6 p.m. on Saturday.”
He said the one thing that outsiders don’t understand about the Palisades is the neighborhoods and how people looked out for each other. “I want my community back,” he said. “I love my community.”
Residents had heard that the ACE had planned to perform debris removal on adjacent properties. That was not happening today because the County, which has to approve the Right of Entry, were releasing individual properties, rather than in “batches.”
“Be patient,” Swenson told CTN Sunday night, noting that the County has to make sure the person who has given the right of way is actually the owner of the property. “We are working rapidly and we will have more and more crews on the road.”
He also clarified that the Corps will remove foundations, but not the dirt under it. They also will not take the foundation if by doing so, it destabilizes the lot.
Swenson said that this is the fastest response that the Army Corps of Engineers has had to date. “We’re working hard for L.A. survivors,” he said.
The Army Corps of Engineers places plastic in the truck. The debris is dumped inside and then the plastic pulled over the top, like a burrito.
Imagine if all this energetic efficiency had gone into a couple weeks to fix the water reservoirs and clear brush on state and park lands and fix broken down LAFD equipment and hydrants. Would have taken a few weeks and not years of neglect.
They are very nice, hard working people.
One of their mobile command center trucks is parked in the Ralph’s
Parking lot.
Around 6pm, the guys go and get dinner at the food trucks parked
In the Ralph’s lot.
You can speak to them there
Gotten mixed signals on whether or not ACE will remove now dead trees on a lot, (not parkway). An arborist has told us 4 of our 5 large trees are dead and must be removed but am waiting to see what ACE does before hiring a private firm.
Note: ROE detail says they will, but have been told they won’t.
David–keep me updated if the Corps removes them.
Sue
It’s important to analyze the dirt they took for toxins. And then publish the results.