People anxious to see what had become of their properties after the Palisades Fire ignited three weeks ago waited in their cars for hours for permission to return after officials lifted the last remaining evacuation orders. A line of vehicles snaked along the Pacific Coast Highway as motorists inched into a beachside parking lot in Santa Monica, where they had to show ID to receive a permit that allowed them to drive into the burn zone. They have to be out of the area by nightfall because a curfew remains in effect.
Officials began letting residents of select areas return starting last week, but only with a police escort. On Monday afternoon, the city lifted all remaining evacuation orders and dropped the escort requirement. The sun was out Tuesday after the first significant storm of the season brought rain that helped fire crews but loosened scorched hillsides and caused ash and mud to flow across streets.
Firefighters were close to full containment of the Palisades Fire and the nearby Eaton Fire, which also ignited Jan. Returning residents were urged to wear protective gear. It contains pesticides, asbestos, plastics and lead. Los Angeles city and county officials last week expedited cleanup efforts and other measures aimed at mitigating the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants, and a White House statement said President Donald Trump had directed federal officials to help local authorities.
The U. Environmental Protection Agency has designated federally-owned parkland east of Los Angeles as a temporary storage site for hazardous materials left by the fires. However, local elected officials are opposed to the choice of the site, expressing concerns that Lario Park in the San Gabriel Valley could become a permanent toxic dumping ground.
Solis and others worry residents could be at risk if dangerous materials contaminate the air or seep into the groundwater used by hundreds of thousands of people. The EPA said it would conduct regular air monitoring, take frequent soil samples, bring in water trucks to control dust and transport waste out of the area daily.
