State Partnership Program

Video by Marti Allen

Full Circle: USACE Employee Receives Help from His Own Team After Losing Home in Eaton Fires

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District

April 30, 2025 | 3:17

Darius Wallace, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers LA District employee, stands on his fire-damaged property as USACE prepares to begin debris removal and ensure the site is safe for rebuilding. Task Force Phoenix Commander Brigadier General William Hannan visited the site and spoke with Mr. Wallace about the process and the Corps' commitment to supporting impacted communities and its own team members. USACE is actively working in partnership with Los Angeles County, CalOES, FEMA and other partners to support the Southern California wildfire recovery efforts. USACE currently has more than 450 personnel on site and around 3,000 contractors actively supporting our local, state and FEMA partners to support survivors impacted by the Palisades and Eaton fires Jan. 7. This includes engineers, debris removal crews, safety officers, quality assurance specialists and more from across the nation. Additionally, there are more than 200 crews working 12-hour days, seven days a week for the express purpose of removing debris to mitigate risk to public health, protecting the environment and speeding community recovery.