Kincade Fire Debris Removal Deadline is January 31, 2020

Sonoma County is reminding property owners whose homes or structures were destroyed by the Kincade Fire to submit an application and site work plan for fire debris removal by January 31, 2020. Many property owners have already completed necessary documentation and the County encourages remaining property owners to contact the County immediately to avoid costly abatement proceedings.

“Our hearts continue to go out to our friends and neighbors who lost homes in the Kincade Fire, and we are committed to helping them rebuild and recover from this,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Susan Gorin. “Due to the health hazards associated with fire debris, it is also critical that clean-up be done safely and timely to protect both public health and our watersheds, which is why we are asking property owners, regardless of if you have insurance or not, to reach out to us for help with this process.”

The first step in property clean-up, the Household Hazardous Waste sweep, has been completed by the County at no cost to property owners. Crews inspected and removed dangerous waste that posed a threat to human health, animals, and the environment such as pesticides, batteries, asbestos siding, and paints.

This second step requires property owners to hire a licensed and qualified contractor to remove fire debris or document how they plan to do remove debris themselves, following compliance and regulation standards. Before January 31, 2020, property owners must submit a Debris Removal Application form and a sample site work plan identifying how debris will be removed, including details about the selected contractor. These forms and other helpful information including Property Clean-up Frequently Asked Questions can be found at SoCoEmergency.org/Recover.

Property owners should contact Environmental Health for assistance, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at (707) 565-6700 or ehdebrisremoval@sonoma-county.org.

If there are properties that have not submitted an application and site work plan by January 31, 2020, the County will need to move forward with abatement actions to ensure that all properties are free of toxic ash, chemicals, and other fire debris. An abatement proceeding is a legal action that declares the property a public nuisance, which makes the property owner responsible for clean-up expenses, attorney’s fees, and administrative costs. The County would like to work with each impacted property owner, whether they are insured or not, to avoid the costly process of abatement.

Following this initial application period, all components of debris removal, including soil testing, must be completed by May 15, 2020. Property owners can contact Environmental Health for assistance, at (707) 565-6700 or ehdebrisremoval@sonoma-county.org.