Lake County, Calif -- The Lake County Sheriff's Office reports that fire debris must be determined safe or will not be permitted at the landfill and that free testing, cleanup and disposal of fire debris is available.  

Individuals affected by the fire can sign up at the Local Assistance Center (LAC) located at the Senior Center, 21256 Washington Street, Middletown; or call the Lake County Environmental Health Department in Lakeport. 707-263-1164.

Individuals are not being prohibited from hiring contractors and cleaning their own lots but the ash must be tested before it can be disposed of, and when the job is done there should be an official certification that the lot is clean of toxics. 

Eastlake Landfill in Lake County is not authorized to receive fire debris unless it has been lab tested to demonstrate it is free of asbestos and it also should not contain hazardous chemicals like you find around the home and in garages and sheds.   

In addition our land fill does not have the physical capacity to receive all the debris from the Valley, Rocky and Jerusalem fires.   That debris must be shipped out of the County at considerable expense.  

Federal and State site assessment teams are now coming into the County to locate and remove hazardous materials from the burn locations.  

Each site will be tested for toxic residuals and asbestos content.   The lab testing, removal and disposal is at no cost to the property owner.   

Each site will be left clean, with erosion protection for the winter and ready to build again.