State’s debris removal program set to begin December 1, 2020 in Sonoma County; property owners urged to submit Right of Entry forms as soon as possible

The Consolidated Debris Removal Program operated by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) is set to begin in Sonoma County on December  1, 2020, and Cal OES has stated that the sooner property owners enroll in the program the quicker work may be able to get started on their parcel.   

The deadline for residential property owners to apply for either the public debris removal program or a private option with a licensed contractor is December 15, 2020. The County of Sonoma and City of Santa Rosa are urging residents to not delay on submitting their paperwork. All information on signing up for the public and private debris removal programs is available at socoemergency.org/recover.   

Once the State’s debris removal program begins, property owners will be able to use an online map to search their property by address to view its current  status (i.e. submitted ROE form, soil sample pending, ready for rebuild, etc.). Parcels will be color-coded to indicate different stages of the process. The map will identify the status of properties and indicates if a property owner is participating in the state-run or the private cleanup option utilizing a licensed contractor.   

Debris Removal Status Map

A total of 432 properties in the County of Sonoma and City of Santa Rosa that were destroyed in the Walbridge, Meyers and Glass fires will require debris removal work. Additionally, the State’s debris removal program includes the removal of fire-damaged hazard trees from private residential property, regardless of whether there is a burned structure on the property. Trees eligible for removal include those that are dead or likely to die within five years as a result of the Glass, Walbridge or Meyers fires and present a threat to the public right of way including roadways and/or public infrastructure. Property owners who suspect they have eligible hazard trees on their property are encouraged to submit a Right of Entry form by Dec. 15 in order to have their trees assessed for the program.    

For more information on  debris removal, visit socoemergency.org/recover. 

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