Several cities in Southern California have expressed their opposition to a site being utilized by the Environmental Protection Agency to manage hazardous waste from the recent Eaton Fire. The cities of Azusa, Irwindale, Baldwin Park, and Duarte have jointly declared their intention to “shut down” the site, citing concerns about the transportation of toxic materials to their communities.
The EPA has begun accepting debris, including lithium electric vehicle batteries and other hazardous household waste, at the site located in Lario Park. The cities mentioned that they were not informed about these clean-up efforts and expressed disappointment over the lack of consideration for the local residents.
In a collective statement, the cities affirmed their support for neighboring communities while emphasizing their strong opposition to the EPA’s operations at the site. They have vowed to take official action against the site and are actively working to halt its activities promptly.
More than 150 locals packed the Duarte City Council meeting last night to voice their opposition, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Before that meeting, EPA On-scene Coordinator Celeste McCoy told the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors that her agency was ordered to expedite the opening of the site, located on land managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, following an executive order issued by President Donald Trump, it also reported.
A home is engulfed in flames during the Eaton Fire in the Altadena area on Jan. 8, 2025. (Josh Edelson)
Trump’s daughter Ivanka was in the region Tuesday to help deliver aid to those affected by the wildfires. Matthew Barnett, the founder of The Dream Center nonprofit, appeared alongside Ivanka Trump in a video on X, saying that she spent around an hour meeting with three Altadena families and donated new shoes and food boxes.
“It’s so nice to see the incredible spirit and resilience of the Altadena community… it’s a beautiful light in such a dark time,” Ivanka Trump said.
Meanwhile, officials in Los Angeles County on Tuesday approved an outside review of how its emergency alert system functioned during the Eaton and Palisades Fires.
Residential areas destroyed by the Eaton Fire are seen on Jan. 19 in Altadena, California. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
The Eaton Fire caused 17 deaths. Evacuation orders for some neighborhoods in Altadena – including the area where the majority of the deaths occurred – were sent out on Jan. 7 after houses were reported on fire, according to the Associated Press.
