COMMENTARY
January 28, 2008

Fire Debris Removal Bigger Deal Than 2003

As printed in the San Diego Daily Transcript on Jan. 28, 2008

By Supervisor Pam Slater-Price

After the fires, County of San Diego set out, as it did in 2003, to clean up the remaining fire debris as expediently and cost-effectively as possible – but there was a glitch.

There were tons more debris than officials expected.

On Nov. 6, the board directed the debris removal and disposal program be started. By Nov. 20, removal of household hazardous waste debris was completed.

On Nov. 18, a county contract was awarded to environmental companies, RORE and PRI, for removal of burned structural debris, which the county staff estimated to be a total of 30,000 tons based on previous experience with the Cedar and Paradise fires.

Following the 2003 fires, the county completed removal of 24,000 tons within nine months.

For the most recent fires, we cleared 40,000 tons at the half-way mark.

There are two reasons for the added tonnage.

First, the county is being asked to remove foundations this time, and second, the recent fires did not burn as hot and therefore, left more debris to remove.

The county has received about 600 right of entry forms from fire victims, and weather-permitting, we estimated a completion date of January 31 – seven months ahead of schedule compare to 2003.

Between now and then, 30-plus RORE and PRI crews will be working six days a week removing 3,000 tons of debris a day.

In the end, this program will cost the county, state and federal governments close to $45 million with a small percentage expected to be recovered through insurance companies.

As an elected representative for fire victims in Escondido and Rancho Bernardo, I feel more than confident in the work being done and believe it is serving the public interest very well.

The debris removal program was up and running with all the necessary components, including a hazardous waste removal program, one week after the fires were out in October.

And as we do with all our programs, we will examine ways to improve for our next crisis so the process becomes even smoother.

But for now, we will focus on work still to be completed and charge ahead as planned with the hopes of being finished soon to allow residents to move on with their rebuilding plans.

Supervisor Pam Slater-Price represents the Third District for the County of San Diego.