Fires in Los Angeles impose controls on worker safety, private firefighting

Planning note: WhatMatters is taking the day off on Monday to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and will be back in your inboxes on Tuesday.

Describing the active wildfires in Southern California as “a catastrophe on an unprecedented scale“, chairman of the assembly Robert Rivas of Salinas gathered with dozens of assembly members Thursday in Los Angeles to enter new accounts which seek to accelerate recovery efforts and remove constraints on development.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta also held an event in Los Angeles to say the Justice Department is investigating reports of overcharging, fraud and “unsolicited low offers on property.” Residents can report disaster scams here.

Let’s dive into the issues faced by fire mitigation workers and their damage:

Cleaning workers: Fire recovery workers are essential after wildfires, but they facing many dangers including collapsing buildings, exposed electrical cables and toxic chemicals, says Calmatters’ Alejandra Reyes-Velarde and Jeanne Kuang.

Although the state recently passed laws requiring employers to protect workers from wildfire smoke and prohibiting them from forcing workers into evacuation zones, there is growing concern that workers will not be protected during less formal workplaces for cleaning.

In response, labor groups are reaching out to day laborers — most of whom are immigrants — to teach them how to identify hazards in burning homes with Cal/OSHA-certified trainers.

Read more here.

Private firefighters: While private firefighting in the US dates back to the 1700s, it is a controversial industry were subjected to renewed control during the past weekreports CalMatters’ Felicia Mello. Often provided by insurers, private firefighters visit the homes of typically wealthy clients as a fire approaches and take preventative measures.

But critics say these companies are creating a two-tiered system where the haves get better protection than the poor. Private firefighters are also required by law to coordinate with local commanders at incidents, but during the 2007 and 2017 wildfire seasons. there were reports of private firefighters entering disaster areas without proper coordination, confusing residents and distracting emergency services.

Read more here.

Wildfire Bulletin: CalMatters has partnered with PBS SoCal, LAist and KCRW to offer a free newsletter that provides new and accurate information about the fires in Southern California. Read on edition and subscribe.