LAKE COUNTY >> In order for Lake County to rise from the ashes left in the wake of the Valley Fire, they must first be removed. This will take time, money, and care for public and environmental safety.
With a plan devised and executed by CalRecycle, those involved in the cleanup have started to make progress. So far, 307 of the 1,300-plus properties destroyed in the catastrophe have been cleaned, or about 24 percent — exceeding the goal of 300 parcels by Thanksgiving.
Fifty residences can create approximately 12,500 tons of debris and ash, containing heavy metals and friable asbestos because of the variety of household items burned. Without the proper equipment, the approximately 10 percent of owners cleaning their own land can be exposed to lead, arsenic, copper, and zinc.
“People can agitate the hazardous materials by poking through the ash,” Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait said. “If they are working without professional help, they should wear protective equipment like respirators.”
Despite the threat to the air, Lake County’s Air Quality Management district said it is still clean and no respiratory-related incidents have been reported.
The AQMD’s monitoring stations at Cobb Elementary, Middletown High School, and Coyote Valley Elementary have shown positive readings, Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart said. He and Tait have heard concerns for respiratory-related maladies, but both claimed that they have not received official reports from primary health care providers.
“The crews have been doing a good job maintaining the dust from their cleanup,” he said. “They are keeping things wet when they work on it, preventing any dust generation.”
Once the ashes and debris are removed, tests must be performed on the soil to ensure that the hazardous material is below certain levels. If the soil fails, another layer must be taken off.
Environmental Health Director Ray Ruminski said the county is concerned about lead and arsenic. Lead concentrations must below 80 mg per kilogram, while arsenic must be under 15 mg.
The test, among other aspects, prolongs the completion of the project by taking five to seven days to conduct. Currently, 139 samples have been taken and 55 have passed. Some have failed but others are awaiting results.
Its importance was stressed by Ruminski, because the biggest environmental threat is to the surface water that runs off from sites during the rains and goes right into the streams.
That’s the picture of the problem,” he said. “It’s not something that can be calculated, but if there are many small contributions, it can be a cause for concern.”
This concern for surface water, he claimed, is a large justification for state and federal funding for this disaster.
The project has enlisted 42 cleanup crews, mostly private contractors, working Monday through Saturday during normal business hours, Ruminski said. He hopes to increase that to 60 teams in the coming weeks.
That workforce is required due to the average speed of 20 sites a day and the load of work each lot requires. They also have no plans of slowing down, even as the cold and wet rain of El Nino approaches.
“The heavier the rain, the more we are challenged,” Ruminski said. “However, as we move into having more teams, more work will be done.”
From reconnaissance to erosion control, several health and environmental steps outlined by CalRecycle’s Debris Removal Program must be performed before a property is approved for rebuilding.
Although the environment is a concern for the county, some survivors have some concerns of their own, especially cost and tree removal.
If 85 percent of the properties require debris removal, it could cost anywhere between $44 million and $82.5 million, CalRecycle’s program documents said. The state estimated that small properties and structures could have a price tag of around $40,000; large properties were expected to be about $75,000.
Fortunately for those with insurance, owners are only liable to pay what their providers give them for removal. If the removal is less than what the insurance gives them, they are also allowed to keep it, the county’s Right-of-Entry form said. Those without insurance, Ruminski said, will be covered by CalOES and FEMA.
Others have complained about tree removal to the task force and the Board of Supervisors, primarily concerning Pacific Gas & Electric leaving downed trees on their property.
PG&E spokesman Brian Swanson said the company has responded and will now come out to remove those trees, only if there’s “adequate access” for the company’s debris removal vehicles.
Finally, the people need to keep a close eye on illnesses as the cold weather approaches, Tait stressed. She said that anxiety and distraction caused by the disaster could leave survivors open to flus and colds.
“The message is for people to be aware of their vulnerability. If they can take care of themselves as best as they can, hopefully they will remain healthy for what has been a tough time.”
