LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has cleared 50% of the 4,499 properties deferred to it by the Environmental Protection Agency during Phase 1 of the household hazardous materials removal operation from the deadly January wildfires, officials said this weekend.

The milestone comes just seven days after the EPA's deadline for completing Phase 1 work in wildfire-affected areas.

The EPA initially conducted HHM removal on approximately 9,000 properties damaged in the Palisades and Eaton fires, but some sites posed additional safety risks, such as structurally compromised buildings, unstable terrain or limited access. Those properties were deferred to the Corps of Engineers to implement safety measures before removal could begin.

As of March 8, the Corps had completed hazardous materials removal at 2,269 properties.

"We know how much these families and communities have already been through, and we are working with a sense of urgency to help them move forward," said Col. Eric Swenson, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles Wildfires Recovery Field Office.

"Safely removing household hazardous materials is a critical first step, and we are pushing forward to complete Phase 1 as quickly as possible. At the same time, we are making steady progress in Phase 2 debris removal, with more than 125 properties completed and returned to the County, and over 400 parcels in various stages of hydromulch application, erosion control, and final sign-off," Swenson continued. "Every cleared property is a step closer to rebuilding, and we remain committed to working as safely and quickly as possible."

On Feb. 22, officials marked the first wildfire-damaged property cleared by the Corps of Engineers following the start of Phase 2 of the debris removal process in Malibu. The agency anticipates that all eligible properties that enroll into the debris removal program by the March 31 deadline will be cleared to rebuild by January 2026.

Residents impacted by the wildfires were encouraged to submit the ROE forms to authorize debris removal at their properties at recovery.lacounty.gov or in person at a Disaster Recovery Center.