Begin Cleanup

Debris RemovalKnow Before You Go

Before you go, please know disturbing your property can jeopardize your insurance process. This outline will help you with the steps for proper debris clean up and your options. 

Understand Effects of Ash & Burn Debris

Protect yourself from harmful ash when you clean up after a wildfire. Cleanup work can expose you to ash and other products of the fire that may irritate your eyes, nose, or skin and cause coughing and other health effects. Ash inhaled deeply into lungs may cause asthma attacks and make it difficult to breathe. Ash is made up of larger and tiny particles (dust, dirt, and soot). Ash deposited on surfaces both indoors and outdoors can be inhaled if it becomes airborne when you clean up. Ash from burned structures is generally more hazardous than forest ash. 

Check in With Your Insurance Company

Obtain from your insurance company, the “debris removal” coverage portion of your insurance, if any. This is the amount that the property owner will be responsible for to submit to the County after clean up has been completed. 

Complete the County of Nevada Right of Entry

Complete the County of Nevada Right of the Entry form to participate in debris removal assistance. If you have questions, please email the Environmental Health Department at env.health@co.nevada.ca.us or call (530) 265-1222, x3.

Debris Removal Timeline

This process start quickly and can take up to a year to complete before a property is ready to rebuild.

  1. Phase 1: Board of Supervisors declares emergency. 
  2. Phase 2: The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) does property assessments, with Environmental Health and removes hazardous waste, if any. 
  3. Phase 3: CalRecycle sends contractors to start the clean up process. Environmental Health contacts property owners to share cleanup appointment date/time. Soil sampling is completed by a contractor. 
  4. Phase 4: Once the soil tests show no contamination present, and erosion control is completed, the CalRecycle contractor completes the Final Sign Off Form. The form is sent to Environmental Health and the property owner so the rebuilding process may begin. 

Cal-OES-Logo-Horizontal-Color-RGBResources for wildfire survivors
Hazardous Waste Removal Dashboard
CalOES in the news

  1. What are the debris clean up phases?
  2. What is Phase I?
  3. What is Phase II?
  4. How long does it take to get through Phase I and Phase II?
  5. Can I be on site when Phase I and Phase II debris removal operations are being conducted?
  6. I have valuables or items of personal sentiment that I want to search for, as my home was completely damaged. Can I go onto my property and search for these items prior to Phase I?
  7. My house was completely damaged/total loss, what are my next steps?
  8. Why does the County need my insurance information in order to be part of the Private Property Debris Removal program (PPDR)?
  9. We have several acres of trees that burned in the fire, will the Private Property Debris Removal (PPDR) Program remove the damaged trees?
  10. The insurance wants to pick up the cars after the DTSC sweep. How do we arrange for the pick-up to occur after DTSC comes in. Does the VIN have to first be reported to the Sheriff’s office, will it ma
  11. My property does not have any electricity, and I want to run a generator, can I do this prior to cleanup by the State?
  12. . Can I put a travel trailer on the property and have a maintenance agreement with a septic pumper?
  13. What if there is a burned-out bridge on another parcel or my own parcel and I cannot access my property?
  14. What are items that are not covered under State funded cleanup and that will be the responsibility of the owner to remove?
  15. If a main home is standing, but outbuildings are destroyed, can work be done to disconnect the electrical panels of the outbuildings without making the owner ineligible for State funded cleanup?
  16. Can I live in my house, while still opting into the State program?
  17. My home is a total loss; however, our well pump is operational, and septic is running/no damage. Is it ok to live in a travel trailer on the property?
  18. My house was not affected by the fire, but my well pump and electrical connections were damaged. Can I live in my home and have my well repaired?
  19. If I choose to clean up my property, who will be checking that it was done correctly?
  20. Who will confirm that all of the requirements for the private property opt-out process have been completed?
  21. Can a person who has been residing at the property fill out the opt in form if we cannot locate the legal owner?
  22. Is 120 sq ft still the size of a qualifying structure for State funded cleanup? And is it still true that if you have a qualifying structure that smaller structures will also be removed?
  23. If I have a fuel tank upon my property, for my personal use, like a diesel fuel tank, will DTSC remove this tank during Phase I?
  24. When can I schedule an Onsite Soils Evaluation?
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