FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 7, 2026

California Secretary of Labor highlights worker safety efforts during Los Angeles wildfire recovery

Los Angeles – One year after the start of the catastrophic Los Angeles wildfires, California Secretary of Labor Stewart Knox and Cal/OSHA Chief Debra Lee met with workers, advocates, and community partners in Altadena to support ongoing recovery and rebuilding efforts. 

Following the fires, the Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) partnered with the Sierra Health Foundation: Center for Health Program Management to deliver $1 million to five organizations providing training and education to day laborers and domestic workers involved in wildfire cleanup and rebuilding. The funding supported on-the-ground worker and employer outreach, safety education, and jobsite training for workers operating in hazardous post-fire conditions. This investment builds on $6 million that LWDA and the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) committed to the LA Region through the California Workplace Outreach Project.

“In Altadena, we’re seeing firsthand how targeted investments are helping protect workers who are performing fire cleanup and rebuilding in hazardous conditions,” said Secretary Knox. “California is ensuring these workers have the training they need while we support a recovery in LA that puts the health, safety, and dignity of workers first.”

“Our teams have worked closely with workers, employers, and community organizations to provide real-time guidance throughout the recovery and rebuilding process,” said Chief Lee. “By being on the ground, surveying worksites, engaging directly with employers and workers, and explaining safety requirements and best practices, we’ve helped address hazards, protect workers, and identify lessons that will strengthen preparedness for future emergencies.”

Group photo of LWDA Secretary Stewart Knox and Cal/OSHA Chief Debra Lee with community partners

During the visit, Secretary Knox and state officials participated in outreach to day laborers, including the distribution of personal protective equipment within the Eaton Fire burn area.

The Secretary and state officials also joined nonprofit and partner organizations, including the Southern California Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (SoCalCOSH), the Instituto de Educación Popular del Sur de California (IDEPSCA), the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), the Sierra Health Foundation, the UCLA Labor and Occupational Safety and Health (LOSH) Program, and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Office of Worker Health and Safety (LA DPH OWHS), for a discussion about efforts underway to support workers engaged in wildfire recovery and the lessons learned to strengthen preparedness and protections ahead of future emergencies.

“One year after the Los Angeles fires, workers are still out there every day doing the hard work of cleanup and rebuilding. With support from the state through the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency, we’re collaborating with community-based partners to provide these frontline workers with the knowledge and skills they need to stay safe and understand their rights. The restoration of Altadena and the Palisades is dependent on the these workers, and they deserve our continued support and protections.” — Kevin Riley, Director of UCLA LOSH

The work being done to protect workers in Altadena reflects one component of Governor Newsom’s broader strategy to support ongoing recovery efforts in Los Angeles. As part of the strategy, the LWDA coordinated with its departments on worker protection and economic support throughout the region.

  • $20 million in aid to the Los Angeles region to support dislocated workers, including cleanup through temporary jobs, transitional employment, training, and supportive services for displaced workers.
  • $3 million awarded through California Jobs First to the LA Jobs First Collaborative to support recovery efforts in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades.
  • Activation of Employment Development Department (EDD) disaster response protocols to help impacted workers access unemployment insurance and disaster-related assistance.
  • Worker protection efforts by DIR and Cal/OSHA, including wildfire smoke and heat-safety guidance, employer outreach, and enforcement of safety standards to protect vulnerable workers operating in hazardous conditions.