San Diego County Wildfires
Answers to Frequently asked questions

1. How can I dispose of a burnt vehicle?
   EDCO has identified two companies offering this service:
   
   • Ecology Auto Wrecking (619) 661-4554
   • A to Z Auto Parts & Scrap Steel Recycling (619) 307-7884
2. Is a permit required to dispose of fire debris?
   Permits are not generally required to dispose of debris, but some local jurisdictions may require a demolition permit before you begin work. We recommend that you Contact your local City or the County of San Diego if you live in the unincorporated area.
   Unincorporated areas of San Diego County:
   http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/dplu/docs/Fire-FAQv3.pdf Call 1 (866) 402-6044
   City of San Diego
   http://www.sandiego.gov/newsflash/firealert.shtml Call (858) 518-7837
   City of Poway
   http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=867 Call (858) 668-4600
   City of Escondido
   http://www.ci.escondido.ca.us/wcfire/index.html Call (760) 746-3473
   Note:
   When disposing of fire debris please remember that hazardous waste items cannot be placed in your box or bin. An example of hazardous waste includes, but is not limited to: batteries, pesticides, paints, household cleaning products, ash and electronic waste items.
3. Does EDCO offer a discount for fire victims?
   No, EDCO is not in a position to offer discounts as we too have also been forced to absorb additional costs in many different areas. We recommend that you contact your local fire disaster relief assistance center. If you’re a resident of the City of San Diego and you lost your home you are entitled to vouchers that the city is offering. (Poway residents) Bins have been staged throughout the city of Poway and are to be used for the initial general clean up. For bin locations we ask that you contact the Poway Public Works Department at (858) 668-4700 or (858) 668-4702
4. Is ash hazardous Waste?
   Yes, ash has been categorized as hazardous waste and large source separated volumes should be taken directly to a landfill. It can be double bagged and placed in your trash bin and taken directly as part of larger clean-up effort.
5. Is burnt green waste still recyclable?
   Yes, charred wood and charred green waste is still recyclable, and we recommend that you place it with your green waste. If you are utilizing a large debris box we recommend that you separate the green waste and place it in a separate box if you have a lot of it, or it can be commingled with your other demolition items such as: lumber, metal, and concrete.
6. Does EDCO have any plans to keep their disposal center opened longer or additional days while clean up efforts are in place.
   Yes, Escondido Resource and Recovery (1044 W. Washington) and EDCO Station in La Mesa (8184 Commercial Street) are open seven days a week and all remaining facilities are open Monday through Saturday. Any additional openings will be posted on our web site.

The recent San Diego County wildfires have been an enormous devastation to our communities and to the environment that surrounds us. All of us have either experienced a loss or know of someone impacted by the tragedy and our thoughts & prayers are extended to everyone.

For some residents fortunate enough to return to their homes, untouched by the fires or not, the clean-up process has begun. A significant amount of fire ash has fallen, and will continue to fall around the county. While fire clean ups begin in some areas, we all need to take precautions when cleaning up the ash to minimize health hazards.

Please do not hose down ash into the streets or in storm drains. Instead, you should carefully hand sweep ashes into plastic bags and seal them for trash disposal. Car washing in most cities is prohibited on city streets and alleys. If washing your car is necessary, be sure to do so on grass and wash water is directed to landscaped areas so that it is kept out of the gutters. It is highly encouraged to utilize an automated car wash instead.

The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health has issued the following personal protection precautions while cleaning your property:

• Wear protective glasses or goggles to protect your eyes.
• Use a two-strap dust particulate mask with a nose clip. A mask rated N-95 or P-100 will be more effective than simpler dust or surgical masks in blocking particles from ash. If you do not have a mask, use a damp cloth to cover your nose and mouth.
• Wear long sleeved shirt and long pants to protect your skin.
• Wear leather gloves to protect hands from sharp objects while removing debris.
• Wear rubber gloves when working with outhouse remnants, plumbing fixtures, sewer piping and chemicals.
• Wear boots with thick (lug) soles. Avoid tennis/running shoes, whose soles can melt or be punctured.

The California Environmental Protection Agency has also issued the following recommendations:

• Do not allow children to play in the ash and wash off children’s toys before children play with them.
• Clean ash off house pets.
• If you have a vegetable garden or fruit trees, wash fruit or vegetables thoroughly before eating them.
• Avoid getting ash into the air as much as possible. Do not use leaf blowers or take other actions that will push ash into the air. Shop vacuums and other common vacuum cleaners do not filter out small particles, but rather blow particles out the exhaust into the air where they can be breathed. The use of shop vacuums and other non-HEPA filter vacuums is not recommended. HEPA filter vacuums could be used, if available.
• Persons with heart or lung disease should consult their physician before using a mask during post-fire clean up.

For more information on what to do after the wildfires visit:

County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health website’s Wildfire 2007 Environmental Health and Recovery Information at:
www.co.san-diego.ca.us/deh/firestorm-2007.html

California Environmental Protection Agency’s Emergency Response page at: www.calepa.ca.gov/Disaster

County of San Diego Recovery page: www.sdcountyrecovery.com

Emergency Notification: Register Your Cell Phone and E-mail Address

Residents who live in San Diego County, which includes all 18 cities and the unincorporated areas of the County, are encouraged to register their cell phones and e-mail addresses for emergency notifications by visiting http://www.alertsandiego.org.

Once e-mail addresses and cell phone numbers are registered, it will take up to 24 hours for that information to be updated into AlertSanDiego, the County of San Diego mass notification system that is commonly referred to Reverse 911.

AlertSanDiego will provide emergency alerts to your cell phone and e-mail address including evacuation notices. This is in addition to the land line calls received by those who have land line phones.

Residents are able to register multiple cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses by reopening the Web page. Residents without computers may access this Web site from one of the County libraries. There is no charge to use the computers at County libraries.

If a City resident has registered a cell phone number with the City of San Diego Reverse 9-1-1 system that information is automatically shared with the County cell phone registry. To register an e-mail address computer users must register with the County system.

Please note that while the County Mass Notification System is considered effective and efficient, you should not wait for or rely exclusively on a call for evacuation directives. If you think you are in danger, you should evacuate immediately. If you are directed to evacuate by emergency personnel, you should follow their direction.