Disaster Preparedness and Response

2007 Angora Wildfire

The devastating wildfire in the Tahoe Basin consumed 3,100 picturesque acres, more than 254 residences, and 75 outbuildings. The California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB), now CalRecycle, in cooperation with El Dorado County and several other State agencies, raced to protect, remediate, and restore this national treasure as quickly as possible.

• One-Year Anniversary
• Photos
• Incident Status Summary
• Recovery Phase
  • Hazardous Tree Removal
• Waste Facilities and More Resources
• Guidance Documents
• Contacts
• State Agencies

Incident Status Summary: Friday, August 24, 2007, 1800 Hours (6 p.m., PST)

Day 40 and we remained an injury-free project.

Debris Tonnage for August 23 (39 days of reporting)

Recovery Phase

As the Angora fire emergency moved into the recovery phase, CIWMB entered into an agreement with El Dorado County to have its contractor, A. J. Diani, remove construction debris, including destroyed cars, foundations, building materials, white goods, and household contents; perform random soil sampling of the building sites; and perform interim erosion/storm water run off controls.

A Proclamation of Emergency was issued by local, state and federal governments in El Dorado County.

The right-of-entry permit (Adobe PDF, 159 KB) allowed California Integrated Waste Management Board and El Dorado County to proceed with cleanup on privately owned properties. See right-of-entry permit addendum in Hazardous Tree Removal section below.

Hazardous Tree Removal

• Angora Fire Hazardous Tree Removal Informal Bid Results (Aug. 23, 2007, Adobe PDF, 8 KB)
• Letter to Property Owners: Tree Removal Property Address (dated Aug. 21, 2007, Adobe PDF, 99 KB)
• Right-of-Entry Permit Addendum No. 1 (Aug. 22, 2007, Adobe PDF, 142 KB)
• Tree Removal FAQs (revised Aug. 23, 2007, Adobe PDF, 17 KB)

Disaster Debris Management

Guidance on disaster debris management, including selecting and securing temporary storage sites, is available in Local Enforcement Agency Advisory #43--Disaster Assistance, as well as in the Disaster Plan. LEA Advisory #43 also contains guidance on financial and technical assistance, as well as information to collect for the CIWMB.

For Private Contractors: The document Project Specifications for the Angora Fire Structural Debris Removal--Lake Tahoe, California (Adobe PDF, 386 KB, dated July 16, 2007), is one of two structural debris removal plans prepared by CIWMB for El Dorado County. Other guidance documents are listed further below.

Waivers: Information and forms regarding waivers and emergency work are available below. (If you require special accommodation to access these documents pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Office of Public Affairs at (916) 341-6300 or opa@calrecycle.ca.gov.)

• General information and instructions from Cal/EPA and California Resources Agency (Adobe PDF, 165 KB)
• Cal/EPA Waiver Application (Adobe PDF, 54 KB)
• California Resources Agency Emergency Work Form (Adobe PDF, 88 KB)

Waste Facilities and More Resources

Household Hazardous Waste Facilities (Adobe PDF, 248 KB). This document lists all the active permanent and temporary HHW collection programs in California and their contacts. The facilities take most HHW waste with some restrictions. Materials that may be dropped off are batteries, oil, oil filters, latex paint, antifreeze, and other universal waste.

eRecycle.org. This website lists all the electronic waste recyclers in El Dorado County.

Auto Dismantling and Recycling

• Auto Scrap Recyclers (SIC Code 5093): MS Excel, 245 KB
• Auto Parts Recyclers (SIC Code 5015): MS Excel, 427 KB

Guidance Documents

CIWMB

• Local Enforcement Agency Advisory #43--Disaster Assistance. Guidance on disaster debris management, including selecting and securing temporary storage sites.
• Local Enforcement Agency Advisory #41--Emergency Waiver of Standards. Guidance on the issuance of emergency waivers.
• Integrated Waste Management Disaster Plan. The Board's 1997 plan contains information and case studies that can assist local governments in recovery efforts.
  --The Executive Summary includes checklists that direct you to the information on pertinent topics.
  --Chapter 4 includes information on temporary storage and waivers.
  --Chapter 5 contains information on and examples of debris management contracts.
  --Chapter 17 includes case studies of the 1991 Oakland Fire and the 1994 Northridge Earthquake debris management programs and examples of ordinances and contracts used to manage the debris.
  Note: FEMA reimbursement requirements may have changed since the CIWMB's Disaster Plan was adopted. Please go to the FEMA website for up-to-date information on reimbursement requirements.
• Project Specifications for the Angora Fire Structural Debris Removal--Lake Tahoe, California (Adobe PDF, 386 KB, dated July 16, 2007). One of two structural debris removal plans prepared by CIWMB for El Dorado County.
• Asbestos-Containing Ash and Disaster Debris. Solid waste landfills accepting ash or other disaster debris that contains greater than 1 percent friable asbestos by weight that are not already permitted to accept such waste must obtain an emergency waiver specific to this waste type pursuant to the procedure set forth in California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 7, Chapter 3, Article 3. Where the Enforcement Agency has issued a waiver, the ash or debris containing greater than 1 percent friable asbestos should be handled in accordance with California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 17897.18 "Design and Operating Requirements" for solid waste facilities that dispose of asbestos-containing waste.
• Guidance on rebuilding your home that can save or reduce resources in five categories: site, water, energy, materials, and indoor environmental quality.

Other Cal/EPA Boards, Departments, and Offices

• Handling Ash, Debris and other Hazardous Materials from Burned Structures in El Dorado County. Emergency Guidance Fact Sheet on Angora Wildfire #1, Department of Toxic Substances Control, July 2007
• Interim Recommendations for Disposal of Animal Carcasses Associated with Fires (Adobe PDF, 165 KB). State Water Resources Control Board, November 1, 2003

Other State Agency

• Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner Provides Consumer Tips to Avoid Getting Burned Twice (California Department of Insurance press release, July 2, 2007). The Commissioner reminds fire survivors of helpful resources available at no cost.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Affected local governments in El Dorado County may be eligible to receive up to 75 percent of the eligible cost for debris removal and emergency protective measures that were undertaken in response to the fires. The emergency declaration also makes cost-shared funding available to the state for approved projects that reduce future disaster risks.

FEMA brochures and information on specific disaster debris issues are located at the following sites:

• Debris Removal Information
• Debris Management Brochure
• Fact Sheet: Debris Operations-Clarification: Emergency Contracting vs. Emergency Work
• Disposing of Debris and Removing Hazardous Waste
• Demolition of Private and Public Facilities
• Debris Removal Starts with Property Owner

Contacts

• CIWMB Office of Local Assistance Contacts. The Board's Office of Local Assistance staff can help local governments to locate disaster debris processors and example disaster debris contracts and ordinances.
• CIWMB Permitting and Enforcement Contacts. Staff contacts for local enforcement agency reference.
  --Permitting: Virginia Humphreys
  --Inspections: Randy Friedlander
• The Franchise Hauler: South Tahoe Refuse Company
• El Dorado County

State Agencies

• California Integrated Waste Management Board
• California Environmental Protection Agency
• California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection: Angora Fire incident information
• Governor's Office of Emergency Services: Fire Season 2007

Wildfire Preparedness | Disaster Preparedness and Response

Last updated: August 08, 2011