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The Corps of Engineers has not received a mission assignment from FEMA for debris removal in response to 2018 wildfires.
Information about debris removal programs will be available from local county governments.

ONLINE RESOURCES FOR ASSISTANCE

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE RECOVERY.ORG -- A central web site that contains the latest updates regarding regional, state and federal resources for those directly affected by the wildfires.

MENDOCINO FIRE RECOVERY -- Assistance in Mendocino County.

COUNTYOFNAPA.ORG/FIREDEBRISANDHAZARDOUSWASTECLEANUP/  -- Assistance in Napa County.

SONOMA COUNTY RECOVERS.ORG  -- Assistance in Sonoma County.

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The Role of the Corps

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is working in partnership with the local, state, and federal response to the devastating California wildfires in October 2017. Our number one priority continues to be the life, health and safety of all who were affected by the fires.

USACE received a debris removal mission from FEMA in Lake, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties under Emergency Support Function #3. The debris removal mission was a two-phase process – Phase I was the removal of household hazardous waste (HHW); and Phase II is the removal of other fire-related debris (brick and mortar). Phase I (removal of HHW) was completed by the U.S. EPA and California Department of Toxic Substances Control.

The Corps’ mission is Phase II removal of other fire-related debris in Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma and Napa Counties. Debris removal operations began the first week of November and are now 100 percent complete. Crews have cleared 4,563 parcels in Lake, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties of more than 2.2 million tons of ash and fire-related debris.

USACE has deactivated its Recovery Field Office in Rohnert Park and relocated operations to the Sacramento area, where work to close out the emergency response mission will continue.

Property owners with questions about the debris removal program should contact their county.

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Contracting inquiries

Subcontractors wishing to take part in the debris removal mission should contact:

Ashbritt -- http://www.ashbritt.com

Ceres Environmental -- http://www.ceresenvironmental.com/opportunities/become-a-subcontractor.asp

ECC -- http://www.ecc.net/2010/index.asp?page=53&wf=yes 


Debris Removal Overview

Risk of flood after fire

Updates and News Stories

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USACE marks six months of debris removal operations

April 20, 2018 -- "Our mission in Northern California is debris removal -- getting the stuff off the property so that survivors are ready for the next step, whether that's rebuilding or sale. The goal is to leave a clean, safe lot," said LTC Travis Rayfield, commander of the USACE Sonoma Recovery Field Office. 
The two-phase process of debris removal was a shared federal and state responsibility. The US EPA moved in first to remove Household Hazardous Waste. USACE and CalRecycle crews were then responsible for clearing the lots of ash and fire-related debris. FULL STORY

Consolidated Debris Removal Program announces milestone

Feb. 2, 2018 -- The state, federal and local community partners conducting the Consolidated Debris Removal Program have reached a major milestone with the removal of more than one million tons of fire-related debris from properties affected by the October 2017 Northern California Wildfires in Lake, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties. FULL STORY

Corps meets with residents in Mendocino County

Jan. 19, 2018 -- Federal, state, and county officials continue to reach out to residents two and a half months after wildfires blazed through four counties in Northern California in an effort to ensure their questions, concerns and issues are heard and, when possible, resolved.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, first responders and state and county representatives gathered Jan. 17 at Eagle Peak Middle School in Redwood Valley, California for a community meeting. FULL STORY

USACE awards additional contracts for wildfire debris removal

Jan. 2, 2018 -- With its mission over one third complete, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District has awarded two contracts for the consolidated debris removal program in Northern California following the October 2017 Wildfires.  FULL STORY


USACE provides update on debris removal progress, addresses operational questions and residents’ concerns

Dec. 19, 2017 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is 30 percent complete with debris removal operations in Lake, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties following the October 2017 Wildfires. 564,163 tons of debris have been removed from properties in the four counties. FULL STORY

Corps helping bring fire station back to Santa Rosa’s Fountaingrove neighborhood

Dec. 13, 2017 -- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractors have removed the ash and debris from Santa Rosa Fire Department’s old Station 5 location on Parker Hill Road in the city’s Fountaingrove neighborhood, allowing for construction of a temporary facility there that will bring critical fire response back to the area. FULL STORY

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When disaster strikes

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is prepared and ready to respond to natural and human-made disasters and overseas contingencies. 

When disasters occur, USACE teams and other resources are mobilized from across the country to assist our local districts and offices to deliver our response missions.

  • USACE has more than 50 specially-trained response teams supported by emergency contracts to perform a wide range of public works and engineering-related support missions.
  •  USACE uses pre-awarded contracts that can be quickly activated for missions such as debris removal, temporary roofing, commodities distribution, and generator installation.
  • Every year, USACE, as part of the federal government’s unified national response to disasters and emergencies, deploys hundreds of people to provide technical engineering expertise and to promote capacity development at home and abroad. 
  • In 2016, USACE had 1096 personnel deployments in response to one or more of 33 disaster declarations.
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