After 220 days of heartbreak and hard work, the Army Corps of Engineers and their contractors have officially concluded the removal of 106 burned structures in the areas surrounding Eaton Canyon as of August 15th. These 106 buildings, which included homes, garages, stables, recreation centers, a ranger station, and storage containers, were cleaned up well ahead of the original January 1, 2026 date the Army Corps had hoped to complete Altadena by. While there are other structures throughout Altadena and Pasadena that still need to be cleared, the work around Eaton Canyon is done.
The Eaton Canyon Nature Center was formally removed in May, with over 40 truckloads being needed to cart away all debris. Of the 40, 15 alone were needed for the foundation. Toxic ash and debris were taken to the Calabasas Landfill in Agoura Hills, CA. Any recyclable metal from the Nature Center and Polygon Picnic Shelter was sent to SA Recycling in Irwindale. The whole process took approximately three weeks, with all 4 destroyed storage containers also being removed.
With the removal of the last toxic fire debris piles in the vicinity, the County is free to begin invasive weed removal, which is planned to start on August 22nd.Â