San Diego begins clearing fire debris

By: North County Times wire services | Tuesday, November 20, 2007 10:13 PM PST ∞

SAN DIEGO - Contractors hired by the city and county began removing debris Wednesday from properties in the San Diego area that were damaged or destroyed by the recent wildfires.

Under a voluntary program initiated by the city and county soon after last month's conflagrations, residents can opt to have a contractor clean up debris from their properties for free.

The first homeowner to take advantage of the county's debris removal program was Steve Mottola, whose ranch home was lost when the Harris fire swept through Dulzura.

"The county's debris removal program provides one of the first steps for families like the Mottolas to begin recovering from the wildfires," said county Supervisor Dianne Jacob. "We hope more property owners will take advantage of the program."

So far, about 200 people in unincorporated communities of San Diego County have signed the necessary forms to have their properties cleared of debris left from the wildfires.

More than 1,100 property owners who lost their homes in the unincorporated areas may still qualify for the program, according to the county.

In the city of San Diego, two contractors have been hired to remove fire debris from about 100 homesites in the Rancho Bernardo area, where about 360 residences were destroyed by the Witch Creek fire.

The county has allocated about $30 million for its debris removal program. The city expects to spend $19.8 million for debris removal, according to a report prepared for the Budget and Finance Committee.

It is expected that the bulk of the cost for the county and city's debris removal programs will be reimbursed by the state and federal government and through private homeowners' insurance.

Both city and county officials have said they hope to have all of the wildfire debris removed by the end of the year.

Homeowners who want to take part in the wildfire debris removal programs must sign a right of entry permit, granting the city and county contractors the right to access private property.

County property owners who want information about the program can call (877) 308-8111, or online at www.sdcountyrecovery.com. City residents can pick up the necessary paperwork at the Rancho Bernardo fire assistance center, 18448 W. Bernardo Drive. CNS-11-20-2007 14:19