The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has officially completed Phase 1 of the cleanup effort for the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire in Los Angeles, finishing in just 28 days. This rapid completion came after President Donald Trump ordered the agency to move as quickly as possible to clear hazardous materials.
Initially, federal officials estimated that Phase 1 would take 90 days. However, President Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin set a more ambitious target of 30 days. The EPA team exceeded expectations, completing the task even sooner.
In an exclusive statement to Breitbart News, Zeldin praised the agency’s efficiency, stating, “President Trump set an ambitious deadline of 30 days for EPA to get the hazardous material cleanup done after the catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles, and EPA got the job done in 28 days. I’m extremely proud of the phenomenal job of our team to aid in the recovery. They’ve set the bar for future emergency response efforts.”
Zeldin personally visited Altadena, Pacific Palisades, and the EPA’s incident command post in Burbank to oversee the cleanup. Hazardous materials removed from burned lots included lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles and power storage systems, household cleaning products, ammunition, and other toxic substances exposed to fire.
The swift cleanup has come to symbolize the Trump administration’s broader effort to accelerate wildfire recovery. Ambassador Ric Grenell, serving as the president’s envoy for special missions, has played a key role in ensuring cooperation between federal, state, and local authorities.
Phase 2, which involves full debris removal before rebuilding, has already begun. The Army Corps of Engineers has set a goal to complete the process within a year—six months ahead of initial estimates.
