Twenty days after fires destroyed much of Pacific Palisades, hundreds of residents gathered in a Santa Monica Beach parking lot to receive a permit allowing them back home to see what, if anything, they have left.
With the burn nearly fully contained, the final evacuation orders from the deadly Palisades Fire were lifted Monday, allowing all residents to return to their properties.
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The orders for the final two neighborhoods within the city of Los Angeles portion of the fire area were lifted shortly after noon, giving only residents permission to repopulate the area.
Fire officials said residents will no longer need escorts into the burn zone, but they must obtain an access pass by checking in with law enforcement at the Lot 3 Beach Access, 1150 Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica.
KNX News' Pete Demetriou spoke with resident Paul, who owns two properties in the fire-ravaged area.
"One is burned down for sure and," he said. "Unclear on the other one. So, going to take a look."
James and Ellen said they were anxious as they got their residence permit and headed north to evaluate the damage. Ellen said her goal is to "see what's left in my house and see if there's anything that's salvageable."
Some homeowners say they are ready to begin work to reclaim their properties, driving up in a convoy with remediation firms, contractors, or insurance adjusters prepared to deal with whatever they find.
Though residents are permitted to visit their homes, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and her appointed leader of rebuilding efforts in the city, businessman and developer Steve Soboroff, said it could be months before many people are able to safely go in and clear lots themselves.
"Right now, especially if their place was destroyed, it's really toxic. It's dangerous for them to be there. There will come a time when they can do the cleaning, but the EPA has got to be in charge with this phase of it," said the mayor.
During a Monday afternoon press conference, they could not offer a firm timeline on how long the initial debris removal by the EPA will take. However, homeowners might take solace in knowing that they do not have to wait for all houses to undergo phase one cleaning before they can begin their next steps.
"When your house is done, then you'll be able to move right into phase two, which is the lot clearance," Soboroff said. "So we want to go ahead and encourage people to start their plans now."
County public health officials are distributing personal protective equipment to residents returning to their homes.
The re-entry process will continue on Tuesday, with permits being handed out to residents from 10:00 AM to just before 5:00 PM.
There is still a 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM curfew for the area.
City News Service contributed to this article.
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