Los Angeles is preventing residents from going to their properties, much less starting the process of cleaning them up.
L.A. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis issued the no debris removal order.
His calling card includes promoting a “health equity framework within government agencies,” and the top value listed on his county health office website is “equity.”
The Jan. 15 order from Davis read in part, “No removal of fire debris resulting from the Critical Fire Area in Los Angeles County shall occur from properties without a hazardous materials inspection conducted either by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or California Department of Toxic Substances Control …” The order listed a few other government agencies that could also do the inspection.