NEWS stories


Rebuild, Government Efram Potelle Rebuild, Government Efram Potelle

California homeowners could qualify for grants for new roofs and fire safety

Some homeowners in areas of California with high wildfire risk could eventually get money for new roofs or to build fire-resistant zones around their properties under a new state law that went into effect Friday.

The Safe Homes grant program is designed to help low- and middle-income homeowners with fire mitigation. People who qualify could use grants to create 5-foot ember-resistant zones around properties, also known as Zone Zero, as required by law in some areas. The program will also contribute toward costs for fire-safe roofs.

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Banner on Rose Parade float calls for Eaton Fire inquiry from California AG Rob Bonta

A banner calling for an investigation into the Eaton Fire response from Los Angeles County officials was briefly spotted at the Rose Parade in Pasadena on Thursday. Tom Wait speaks with the people behind the statement and what they hope to change with their call to action.

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Government, Southern California Edison Efram Potelle Government, Southern California Edison Efram Potelle

California regulators order Edison to look for fire risks on its old transmission lines

  • State regulators ordered Edison to assess fire risks on 355 miles of unused transmission lines, including the century-old equipment suspected of igniting the Eaton fire.

  • Edison must create a plan to address those idle lines, potentially including removal, marking the first major regulatory action related to electric infrastructure after the fire killed 19 people.

  • Regulators are requiring other California utilities to take similar actions with their dormant transmission lines.

State regulators ordered Southern California Edison to identify fire risks on its unused transmission lines like the century-old equipment suspected of igniting the devastating Eaton wildfire.

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L.A. fire cleanups reports describe repeated violations, illegal dumping allegation

  • Federal oversight reports allege that the main contractor hired to clean up the Eaton and Palisades fires may have illegally dumped toxic ash, reused contaminated soil and cut corners.

  • Inspectors documented crews moving fire debris onto neighboring properties, burying ash and burned materials to avoid full removal, re-contaminating “cleared” lots and spraying polluted water into storm drains.

  • Despite warnings about lead and other toxins, FEMA refused to fund post-fire soil testing. State agencies are noncommittal about how they will handle such testing in the future.

The primary federal contractor entrusted with purging fire debris from the Eaton and Palisades fires may have illegally dumped toxic ash and misused contaminated soil in breach of state policy, according to federal government reports recently obtained by The Times.

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‘You can’t dispute ash’: Eaton Fire survivors battle invisible damage

Nearly a year after California’s Eaton Fire, some survivors say their homes look untouched but are contaminated by toxic smoke and ash. As Southern California Edison faces scrutiny over the fire’s cause, families are weighing settlement offers against the mounting costs of cleanup and long-term health risks.

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