California officials marked the six-month anniversary of January’s Eaton and Palisades wildfires by declaring debris removal virtually complete and shifting the focus to rebuilding. Gov. Gavin Newsom said crews, led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, have cleared rubble from about 10,000 parcels—96 percent of the properties destroyed—calling it the fastest post-fire cleanup in modern U.S. history. The two fires scorched roughly 35,000 acres across Altadena and Pacific Palisades, killed 30 people and razed more than 16,000 homes and other structures. Newsom credited a series of emergency executive orders and full FEMA reimbursement for accelerating the operation, which at its peak removed debris from more than 2,000 homes a month. With most lots now bare, Los Angeles County and city agencies are waiving or cutting permit fees, streamlining “like-for-like” approvals and experimenting with AI plan reviews to compress permitting times to about 30 days. Undergrounding power lines and other infrastructure upgrades are planned, but officials warned that cost and complexity will extend that work over several years. Newsom is asking Congress for a $40 billion package to backfire survivors, harden utilities and fund housing, supplementing the $101 million in state money he committed this week to jump-start reconstruction. Despite the progress, fewer than 100 building permits have been issued so far, and advocates say insurance shortfalls and soaring construction prices continue to delay residents’ return.