As the recovery effort for the January 2025 LA fires moves forward, the City Council shares the concern of residents regarding fire debris that may be transported to the Calabasas Landfill.

Despite its name, the Calabasas Landfill is not owned by or located in the City of Calabasas. The Calabasas Landfill is owned by Los Angeles County and operated by the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts. CalRecycle, along with local enforcement agencies (LEA), regulate the operation of landfills in Los Angeles County. This landfill is situated just beyond the City of Calabasas boundaries, positioned along the City's northwest border.

Update: Jan. 20, 2026: Earlier today, the Court issued its final ruling on the Calabasas Landfill litigation in favor of the County, denying the City’s writ petition to prevent toxic fire debris from being deposited at the landfill. The Court ruled that Los Angeles County and the County Sanitation District are not violating the requirements of their landfill operating permit. The Court found that the actions taken by the County and Sanitation District—namely, the visual inspections of incoming truckloads of fire debris and the acceptance of certification forms from waste haulers—are in compliance with the permit.

The Court acknowledged that the City’s undisputed soil testing results showed hazardous levels of copper, zinc and other chemicals, but stated those results did not establish a violation of the County’s or Sanitation District’s duties under the operating permit. The City has argued that the testing results and mere presence of those substances in hazardous levels at the Landfill are clear evidence that the County’s and Sanitation District’s actions are insufficient to ensure that hazardous materials are not brought into the Landfill. Further actions beyond simple visual inspections and acceptance of unverified certification forms are necessary.

The Court concluded that the County and Sanitation District have discretion to determine the process to accept fire debris, and that any alternative measures to prevent hazardous materials from entering the Landfill are “an issue for the Board of Supervisors, not the Court.”

The City is highly disappointed with the Court’s decision. The City believes the ruling does not adequately reflect the serious concerns raised by the community, nor does it fully account for the City’s responsibility to protect public health, environmental resources and local quality of life. The City Council will meet at the next regularly scheduled Council meeting to discuss the ruling and determine its next steps. Throughout this process, the City has fought vigorously for its residents and the surrounding neighbors. We are committed to ensuring the health and safety of the community remains among our top priorities.

Air Quality

Updates

December 16

Update: Dec. 16, 2025: Yesterday, on Dec. 15, the Court held its hearing on the Calabasas Landfill case. After the City and the County each presented their arguments, the judge took the matter under submission to further review the evidence presented and consider the arguments that were made. The judge stated he will render a final decision on the case on or before Jan. 5.

During yesterday’s hearing, the judge also misconstrued the Sept. 12 Mayor’s Letter updating the residents on the soil sampling test results. The judge seemed to conclude that because the Letter stated no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other airborne contaminants were found in hazardous levels, there was no environmental or health concern. The judge failed to acknowledge that the Letter also stated that test results showed hazardous levels of zinc and copper, which will continued to be monitored. The purpose of the Letter was to affirm to the community that the presence of those constituents does not pose an immediate public health threat to the residents or surrounding neighborhoods, but the City was still deeply concerned for the environmental damage that could be caused.

November 25

Update: Nov. 25, 2025: The City has received the County’s and Sanitation District’s Opposition Brief to the Writ of Mandate, along with supporting documents. These materials include:

The County’s filings largely repeat earlier arguments regarding compliance with state permits and orders and assert that wildfire debris cleanup is complete.

The City has filed its Reply Brief and supporting documents in response to the County’s and Sanitation District’s Opposition Brief. Submitted materials include:

The hearing on the City’s writ of mandate is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 12, at 1:30 p.m. in Department 82 of the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles. The City will continue to provide updates as the case progresses.

October 16

Update: October 16, 2025: The City Attorney’s Office has sent formal letters to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control and the State Water Resources Control Board regarding the ongoing fire debris issue at the Calabasas landfill. These letters outline the City’s concerns and request further review and action from the agencies involved.

This step reinforces the City’s continued commitment to transparency, accountability, and protecting the interests of our community.

To view the letters, please visit the Document Hub on the right panel of this page.

October 7

Update: October 7, 2025: At yesterday’s court hearing on October 6, 2025, the Court overruled the demurrer of the County and Sanitation District. This means we are moving forward with the writ trial in this case.

We are also pleased that the Court set the following writ hearing date and aggressive briefing schedule:

City’s Opening Brief – October 27, 2025
County’s/San District’s Opposition Brief(s) – November 17, 2025
City’s Reply Brief – November 24, 2025
Hearing/Trial Date – December 12, 2025 (1:30 pm in Dept. 82 of Stanley Mosk Courthouse)

September 10

Update: September 10, 2025: Below is a summary of various testing results of soil samples from the Eaton and Palisades burn areas. The City of Calabasas tested soil samples from four trucks that delivered fire debris to the Calabasas Landfill. The City of Calabasas also tested soil samples from a property located in the Palisades burn area. Also included are testing results conducted by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health of soil samples collected from the burn areas in Eaton and Palisades (presentation of preliminary test results can be viewed here: LA County Public Health - Eaton and Palisades Burn Areas Test Results

Legal Counsel is taking further action based on the testing results.

Summary of Soil Testing

Calabasas Debris Soil Sampling Test

August 14

Update: Aug. 14, 2025: On Monday, Aug. 11, experts obtained 20 samples from four different truckloads. The samples have been sent to the lab for analysis, and results are expected within five to six business days. PFAS testing results are expected within 14 to 16 business days.

Regarding the clean-up process, up to 30% of parcels have not yet been completed. A total of 13,612 parcels have finished Phase 1 clean-up. For Phase 2, there are 12,013 Right of Entry (ROE) forms — 10,082 opt-in and 1,931 opt-out. Of these, 9,674 parcels have been accepted by the Army Corps for Phase 2 removal, with 9,472 parcels completed. This means 202 parcels have submitted ROEs to the Army Corps but have not yet completed their Phase 2 clean-up, as of earlier today.

August 8

Update: Aug. 8, 2025: Today, the City appeared at the Sampling/Testing Status Hearing before Judge Riff in Dept. 1. The County untimely filed a Status Report after-hours on the night of Aug. 7 stating that the Army Corps is expected to complete its clean-up of the fire debris by Thursday, Aug. 14. The County also stated that there were only about 200 opt-out properties remaining whose fire debris still needs to be cleared, and then all fire debris disposal would be complete. However, they provided no factual support or evidence for these claims. It is unclear whether all opt-in and opt-out debris would be disposed of by Aug. 14, but it is unlikely. Nonetheless, the County argued that any sampling of soil and testing should be stayed – or paused – until after the court rules the demurrer in early October. Our office vigorously fought against the County’s request and emphasized the greater need to immediately commence sampling and testing of the soil, if the County’s claims are accurate.

After an extended discussion on the City’s imminent need to sample and test the soils, and after disagreements over how large our sample sizes would be, the Judge granted our sampling protocol plan and denied the County’s request for stay. The City will start collecting samples for testing on Monday, Aug. 11 and attempt to retrieve all samples by the end of Tuesday, Aug. 12.

On Monday, we will get five samples each from four truckloads: two truckloads from opt-in properties and two truckloads from opt-out properties. The samples will be collected immediately after the loads are deposited into the landfill. Our expert states that these samples will yield the most concentrated amounts of materials for testing purposes. On Tuesday, we will also get samples from an active cell where the fire debris has been dumped but not yet covered by inert fill. Although these samples will be useful for data points, our expert states that these samples are mixed with other debris/fill, and will yield a less concentrated amount of materials for testing.

July 25

Update on July 25, 2025: The City of Calabasas has filed a court-mandated status report as of July 23, 2025, with respect to its ongoing legal dispute regarding the Calabasas Landfill. The City, along with Los Angeles County and the Sanitation District, jointly requested a temporary stay in litigation to pursue settlement discussions, and the court has granted the stay through July 30, 2025.

Settlement negotiations remain active, and the City will provide the court with an update at the upcoming status conference on July 30.

The complete status report is now available on this page in the document hub for public viewing.

July 11

July 3

Update on July 3, 2025: At the request of all parties, the Court paused litigation on July 3, 2025, until July 30, 2025, to allow the City of Calabasas to continue settlement discussions with Los Angeles County and the Sanitation District. Any proposed final settlement agreement will be available to the public when posted as part of the agenda packet for a council meeting to consider approval of that proposed settlement agreement.

June 16

Update on June 16, 2025: On the afternoon of June 13, 2025, the court made a final ruling allowing the City of Calabasas to conduct soil testing of fire debris deposited at the Calabasas Landfill. In other words, the court has authorized the collection and testing of soil samples from the Palisades and Eaton burn areas that were deposited in the landfill to determine the presence of hazardous materials. Currently, the parties are in active settlement negotiations, so the court has delayed ordering soil testing for 20 days.

June 15

May 23

Update on May 23, 2025: Despite the City of Calabasas’ continued requests, both Los Angeles County and the Sanitation District have remained uncooperative in providing soil samples from the Calabasas Landfill. On May 19, they filed a motion to quash subpoenas requesting soil samples from the trucks entering the landfill. It appears they are concerned the soil testing may yield unfavorable results and are working to block the City’s requests. For reference, the First Amended Petition, filed on May 12, 2025 is attached in the document hub.

The City plans to file an ex parte application to schedule a hearing on the motion to compel soil sampling from the trucks. This hearing will likely be set for the same day as the hearing for the motion to compel the soil sampling at the landfill—June 13.

May 5

Update on May 5, 2025: After a court hearing on May 5, 2025, the judge decided that the City of Calabasas could revise and refile its legal case about the fire debris at the Calabasas Landfill. The judge’s ruling means the City is allowed to provide more details to show that Los Angeles County and Sanitation District No. 2 are responsible for checking, testing, and monitoring what’s being dumped at the landfill—and that the court can require them to do so. The City plans to submit this updated case by May 12.

Even though the County and Sanitation District tried to delay the case by stopping the investigation process, the judge said it should continue, noting that time is of the essence. The judge also said he was concerned that they were blocking soil testing of the fire debris, and he strongly urged them to allow that testing to move forward without needing another court order.

Because of the updated case and ongoing investigation, the court hearing to decide on the City’s request for immediate action has been rescheduled for July 11, 2025.

April 21

April 9

April 8

February 25

Following the City Council directive, the City Attorney filed two lawsuits with the Superior Court on Wednesday, February 19 (see Fire Debris Disposal Document Hub), seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to address the City’s concerns. An initial hearing on the matter was on February 24. The Court denied the City's application for a temporary restraining order (TRO). In light of the court’s denial of the TRO, the City will proceed with the next step in litigation – an application for a preliminary injunction. This process will take several weeks to file, and we will provide further updates as the case progresses.

At the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting, the board agreed to temporarily remove dumping restrictions at the Calabasas Landfill, allowing it to accept fire debris. The Landfill's wasteshed is generally restricted to only accepting waste from Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Agoura Hills, Malibu, Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, some parts of Los Angeles and select incorporated areas. The board's decision will allow the Landfill to accept material from outside the wasteshed for six months, with possible extensions.

February 19

February 17

The City Council met for a Special Council Meeting on February 17. By a unanimous vote, the City Council authorized the City Attorney to file a writ petition, including a temporary restraining order, to enjoin the Los Angeles County Sanitation District and Los Angeles County from receiving any fire debris material at the Calabasas Landfill, based on the concern that the debris will contain hazardous materials.

February 14

February 12

Calabasas City Council met on Wednesday, February 12 for further discussion on fire debris removal. Based on the information shared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Council passed four motions. The first was to vehemently oppose any fire debris from being brought to the Calabasas Landfill. The second motion had six points: take a formal position against increasing the tonnage per, oppose any expansion to hours of operation, oppose any expansion of accepting debris from the outside wasteshed, direct the City Attorney to explore an injunction against state and federal agencies and to advocate for waste to be sent to rural areas in Nevada and elsewhere with the hazardous materials. The third motion was to insist on rigorous testing and inspections to ensure hazardous materials do not end up in the landfill. The fourth motion was to establish a Palisades and Eaton Fire Debris Removal temporary advisory committee to petition and advocate on the City’s behalf.

Clean Up Phases

Phase 1

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is assigned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to survey, remove and dispose of hazardous materials from properties impacted by the fires. This work includes conducting Phase 1 of the fire debris cleanup, which removes hazardous materials such as paint, cleaners and solvents, oils, pesticides, batteries and asbestos from the burned areas. To learn more about Phase 1 clean up, visit: www.recovery.lacounty.gov/debris-removal/phase-1

Phase 2

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is assigned to Phase 2 of wildfire debris removal in Los Angeles County. Phase 2 focuses on removing fire and ash debris, chimneys, trees, foundations, soil, and any household hazardous waste not removed during Phase 1. As Phase 2 progresses, Phase 1 removal protocolscontinue to apply, meaning hazardous materials are separated and handled separately from Phase 2 debris. The Phase 2 material is wrapped and sealed at the burn site before being transported to lined landfills authorized to accept fire debris. Please note that the Calabasas Landfill does not accept household hazardous waste, and this requirement will remain in place. To learn more about Phase 2 clean up, visit: www.recovery.lacounty.gov/debris-removal/phase-2

City staff and City Council have actively engaged with the decision makers including the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the Los Angeles Sanitation District, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, CalRecycle, Heal the Bay, North Santa Monica Bay Watershed, U.S. EPA, the Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies to advocate for the community.

Fire Debris Disposal at Calabasas Landfill

The Calabasas Landfill is one of 17 landfills designated as a potential site for fire debris disposal. As a Class III Municipal Solid Waste Landfill, the Landfill is certified to receive items such as foundations, chimneys, fire ash, soil and damaged green waste that have had household hazardous materials removed from them. The Landfill received similar debris after the Woolsey Fire.

Safety Measures and Procedures
The Calabasas Landfill has a composite liner and leach collection system to monitor and prevent leakage from the site. Any fire debris arriving at the Landfill must have a certificate affirming that there is no hazardous waste in the load. To monitor debris arriving at the facility, the Calabasas Landfill will increase its number of material inspectors from one to three.

Before being transported to the Landfill, debris collected at the fire sites will be saturated with water, placed in a dump truck lined with 10 mil. plastic and covered to prevent dust particles from entering the air. Trucks transporting the fire debris will follow primary transportation routes to the Calabasas Landfill, including Malibu Canyon and Lost Hills Road. Once at the Landfill, the debris will be off-loaded per LA County Sanitation District procedures. This includes covering the debris each night before the facility is closed.

Operational Details
To accommodate fire debris removal, the Landfill will extend its hours of operation to 7 a.m.–6 p.m. The Landfill will also amend its permit to accept up to 5,000 tons of debris per day.

Public Meetings

The LA County Department of Public Health will be hosting virtual town hall meetings regularly to provide information and resources to the community in response to the January 2025 fires.

Past town hall recordings are available at the LA County Department of Public Health's Fire Safety and Health Information page. Future town halls will be announced on the linked page and through Public Health's social media channels.

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Meeting

Tuesday, February 25 at 9:30 a.m.

Agenda
Meeting Recording

The Board of Supervisors agreed to temporarily remove dumping restrictions at the Calabasas Landfill, allowing it to accept fire debris from outside the Landfill's wasteshed for six months, with possible extensions.

Members of the City Council, City staff and residents attended the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors meeting on February 25 at 9:30 a.m. to express their opposition to the decisions being made. The City provided a bus for community residents to make public comment in-person during the meeting.

Special City Council Meeting

City Council Meeting

Calabasas Debris Removal Town Hall

Resources

Press Release

City of Calabasas Opposes Disposal of Fire Debris at Calabasas Landfill, City Takes Legal Action

Debris Disposal Information

Calabasas Landfill

Debris Removal Information

News

Federal contractors improperly dumped wildfire-related asbestos waste at L.A. area landfills - L.A. Times

Assessments and Data (Air, Soil, and Water)
Residents who are interested in learning more about air quality, soil health, and water safety are encouraged to explore the Los Angeles County Public Health Post-Fire Air, Soil, Water Assessment Plan Virtual Town Hall, held on March 6. During the meeting, experts from the LA County Department of Public Health, South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), and other organizations presented key data points regarding the impact of the January 2025 wildfires. Below are links shared during the discussion:

Oversight and Regulatory Agencies

Residents may direct comments and concerns regarding debris removal to the following agencies:

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors District 3 Lindsey Horvath
Los Angeles County Sanitation District
CalRecycle (Oversees LA County operated landfills)

FAQs

Where will the EPA take the household hazardous waste?

How will the household hazardous waste be secured during transport?

Household hazardous materials will be placed in containers and transported by stake bed trucks to the staging areas. The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers have selected haul routes to minimize the impact for those who have reoccupied their homes and for unaffected communities. This will include lower-speed travel down city streets. At the secured temporary staging areas, materials will be consolidated and packaged for safe transport and disposal.

What is Phase 1 of the cleanup?

How long will the Phase 1 work take?

What is Phase 2 of the cleanup?

How long will the Phase 2 work take?

While specific timelines depend on factors such as site conditions, weather, and logistical constraints, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers aims to remove debris as safely and quickly as possible, prioritizing the most critical areas first. Property owners will be informed three-five days before their property approaches the cleanup phase. An exact timeline for the overall cleanup has not been established.

Please visit https://recovery.lacounty.gov and the US Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles County Wildfire Debris Removal Mission for more information on Phase 2 efforts.

What is the role of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in debris cleanup?

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is executing Phase 2 of the federally funded debris cleanup effort on behalf of FEMA. This is known as the Consolidated Debris Removal Program (also referred to as the Government-Sponsored Program). Their responsibility is to remove fire-related debris from private properties, including hazardous trees, ash and structural remains. On a property-by-property basis, this work will follow the EPA’s initial hazardous materials removal in Phase 1. However, the Army Corps of Engineers will not wait until all of the EPA work is done throughout the burn areas before stepping in to begin their Phase 2 work. Phase 1 and Phase 2 work will happen at the same time across both the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire areas.

Which fire(s) will the Calabasas Landfill receive debris from?

The Calabasas Landfill, owned and operated by LA County Sanitation Districts (LACSD), will receive debris from the Palisades Fire. During the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Meeting on February 25, the Board of Supervisors voted to authorize the Calabasas Landfill to temporarily accept material from outside the wasteshed to accommodate the emergency disposal of debris generated by the January 2025 Windstorm and Critical Fire Events. This waiver will be in place for a period of six months, with possible extension.

For more information related to the LA County Board of Supervisors’ decision, please review the February 25 Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Meeting Agenda and Recording.

What is the current average tonnage accepted by the Landfill each day?

How many trucks will come to the Calabasas Landfill each day?

Who oversees permitting for landfills and what type of waste do Class III landfills accept?

City of Calabasas, CA

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