Nearly eight months on from the Eaton fire sparking above Altadena, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have officially completed debris removal.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes unincorporated Altadena, announced the milestone Friday, Aug. 29.

Earlier in the day, the Army Corps finalized its sign off at Eliot Arts Magnet School in Altadena.

“Their dedication and professionalism ensured that recovery efforts moved forward quickly and effectively. As our focus now fully shifts toward rebuilding, I am closely monitoring the rebuilding process for Altadena and will continue working side-by-side with our community to support long-term recovery and restoration,” Barger said in a statement. “Our residents deserve nothing less than a full and resilient recovery.”

Debris removal, which has been touted by local leaders for its break neck pace, was a two-phase process that began in the weeks following the fire with the Environmental Protection Agency removing hazardous debris. Soon after the Army Corps arrived to conduct the heavy lifting of the remainder of debris removal.

The Army Corps will not leave the area completely as it is currently working to restore the Altadena Golf Course, which had been used as a debris staging and reduction site. Army Corps officials have estimated the work will be done by the end of this year.

According to a county dashboard, 1,418 rebuild applications have been submitted and 261 building permits have been issued as Aug. 29.

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