Return to your home safely

Here’s what you need to know before you return to your home.

Fire damage maps

Use damage maps from the Palisades and Eaton fires to check the status of your property.

Timeline for returning home

Local, state, and federal teams are assessing neighborhoods. This includes removing highly toxic and explosive materials and environmental hazards. This important work takes time. Teams are working around the clock to make sure it’s safe for you to return.

Returning to your neighborhood

You are not allowed to enter your neighborhood if it’s in an evacuation order area. First responders check daily that an area is okay for people to enter. Some areas are clear for re-entry for residents. Los Angeles County publishes this on their Emergency page.

Insurance assessments

Insurance assessments can start now. Most major insurers honor damage assessments by local, state, and federal inspection teams. Ask your insurance company if they accept government inspections for a claim.

The fire damage map for your area will tell you if inspectors have visited your property.

An icon will let you know the status of your property:

• No Damage
• Minor Damage
• Greater than 50% damage
• Destroyed
• No icon means inspectors have not yet assessed your property

There will be a photo of your property. You can share this with your insurance company.

Cleanup timeline

Cleanup is underway. There are 2 phases.

Phase 1 is automatic and at no cost to the property owner. It includes all residential properties destroyed by the fires. Hazmat experts from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are inspecting properties. They are also removing toxic and explosive materials or making them safe. This makes sure there are no deadly threats to human health, animals, and the environment.

After Phase 1, Phase 2 starts. Property owners will get a choice of cleanup options.

Debris clearing timeline

Several factors determine when debris is cleared from your lot. The local government sets priorities. For example, they could focus on properties near:

• Public facilities
• Schools
• Parks
• Nursing homes

Local government also prioritizes areas that are a threat to the environment. This includes areas near creeks and other bodies of water.

The state will schedule properties in groups as much as possible. This will maximize efficiency and productivity. Their goal is to restore communities as fast as possible.

Household hazardous waste

Household hazardous waste is explosive or highly toxic chemicals sometimes found in homes. It is a threat to public health, animals, or the environment. Examples include:

• Pool chemicals
• Car batteries
• Antifreeze
• Used oil filters
• Solvents
• Fertilizers
• Pesticides
• Propane tanks
• Disinfectants
• Aerosols
• Paint
• Bleach
• Ammunition

More information

Los Angeles County has frequently asked questions about preparing to return home after the fires.