Cuadrillas de la Agencia de Protección del Medio Ambiente de EE.UU. han empezado a rebuscar entre los escombros del devastador incendio de Eaton, en Altadena (California), con el fin de retirar materiales potencialmente peligrosos de las parcelas cubiertas de ceniza y arrasadas por el fuego.

More than a thousand structures have been destroyed and lives lost as wildfires sweep across parts of Los Angeles.

LA Wildfires

Crews from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have initiated the challenging process of clearing hazardous materials from the aftermath of the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California. This task involves removing potentially dangerous items such as batteries, paint, and propane cans from the rubble of homes and properties devastated by the wildfire. According to Harry Allen, a veteran on-site coordinator with the EPA, this cleanup effort is one of the most complex the agency has encountered.

The initial phase of the cleanup, managed by the EPA, aims to ensure the safety of returning residents by eliminating explosion hazards, fire risks, and potential chemical injuries. This phase precedes further cleanup work by government or private contractors using heavy equipment. A key objective is also to prevent hazardous materials, like lithium batteries, from being improperly disposed of, which could lead to fires in municipal waste facilities.

Recently, President Donald Trump issued an executive order for the EPA to expedite the removal of hazardous materials, setting a deadline for completion. The prompt action is seen as vital to allow residents the opportunity to safely return to their properties, assess the damage, and begin rebuilding their lives in the affected area.



Semanas después de los incendios forestales, California se enfrenta a una limpieza peligrosa

Semanas después de que el incendio Eaton arrasara la ciudad de Altadena, a las afueras de Los Angeles, los equipos han comenzado la ardua tarea de limpiar los materiales peligrosos dejados atrás. El jueves, los trabajadores de la Agencia de Protección Ambiental de EE.UU., o EPA, hurgaron en los escombros de las parcelas quemadas, arrancando materiales como baterías, pintura y propano. a mano. Sí, es sin duda el trabajo más grande que creo que nos hemos encontrado. Harry Allen, veterano de veintidós años en la EPA y coordinador in situ, dice que es uno de los más complejos trabajos que la agencia ha visto nunca. Queremos que sea seguro para la gente volver y mirar a través de los restos del fuego sin tener que preocuparse por los riesgos de explosión, incendio o daños químicos. La EPA está ejecutando la fase inicial de limpieza antes de que el gobierno o contratistas privados vengan con equipos pesados para limpiar lotes enteros. Además de hacer que el entorno sea seguro para el regreso de los residentes, esta retirada inicial que los materiales peligrosos, como las baterías de litio, no acaben en el medio ambiente. basura municipal, donde pueden incendiarse. El presidente Donald Trump emitió la semana pasada una orden ejecutiva que ordena a la EPA completar la eliminación de materiales peligrosos, cito, tan pronto como sea práctico. La administración dio a la agencia un plazo hasta el 25 de febrero. Y entonces, ya sabes, la presión está aquí. Ya sabes, la gente quiere volver al trabajo y quiere volver a casa. Quieren venir y ver lo que queda de su lugar e intentar reconstruirlo. Y, ya sabes, hacer que eso ocurra rápidamente para los angelinos es realmente importante para nosotros.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s top-down diplomacy has experts in Ukraine skeptical about whether there has been enough preparation for proposed talks to actually end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Moscow

Ukraine Invasion

Russia signals more talks needed before Zelenskyy-Putin meeting

The Texas House on Wednesday night passed a controversial, Republican-backed proposal to redraw the state's congressional maps. The bill now moves onto the Texas Senate. CBS News reporter Erica Brown has more.

Texas

Texas House approves GOP congressional redistricting map

Israel's military has called up tens of thousands of reservists in preparation for an expected assault on Gaza City, as the Israeli government considered a new proposal for a ceasefire after nearly two years of war.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

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The Trump administration says it is adding 407 items to the list of "derivative" steel and aluminum products subject to higher tariffs. The list includes products like car parts, household appliances, baby strollers, fire extinguishers and spray deodorants.

Washington

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Trump expanding steel and aluminum tariffs

NATO military chiefs met virtually Wednesday for what was described as a candid discussion about security guarantees the alliance would be willing to provide to Ukraine in an effort to end Russia's war in the region.

Brussels

NATO chiefs meet virtually about potential Ukraine security guarantees

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North Carolina

Hurricane Erin forces evacuations on U.S. East Coast

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Mediators await Israeli response to Gaza ceasefire proposal

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met China’s top diplomat on Tuesday and hailed the “steady progress” made in improving the bilateral relationship after a yearslong standoff between the nuclear-armed Asian powers.

New Delhi

India's Modi meets China's foreign minister to rebuild ties

Texas Democrats who ended a walkout found themselves shadowed by law enforcement officers to keep them from repeating the protest that stalled Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts and fulfill President Donald Trump's desire to reshape U.S. House maps.

Austin

Police escort Texas Democrats to prevent new redistricting walkout

Air Canada has reached a tentative agreement with the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), ending the strike that began over the weekend involving 10,000 members and disrupted travel for more than 100,000 travelers per day.

Toronto

Air Canada reaches tentative agreement with flight attendant union

Exiled former Hong Kong lawmaker Ted Hui hailed Australia's grant of asylum status as a key acknowledgement of the territory's human rights infringements since its authorities quelled massive pro-democracy protests in 2019.

Hong Kong Island

Ex-Hong Kong lawmaker granted asylum by Australia

Forecasters are giving urgent warnings to millions of people who live along the East Coast as Hurricane Erin churns in the Atlantic. The storm will not make direct landfall but is expected to bring dangerous rip currents.

East Coast of the United States

Hurricane Erin to bring dangerous rip currents to U.S. East Coast

Jasveen Sangha, a Los Angeles woman known as the "Ketamine Queen," has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges in connection with the death of actor Matthew Perry. Sangha could face up to 45 years in prison.

Los Angeles

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European leaders who converged on the White House for talks on the Russia-Ukraine war demonstrated a united front regarding Ukraine's security on Monday, underscoring the issue as pivotal for the entire continent, not just Ukraine.

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Bolivia's presidential vote headed to an unprecedented runoff after elections Sunday that ended more than two decades of left-wing dominance in the Andean nation but signaled voters' trepidation about a major lurch to the right.

La Paz

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at the White House Monday (August 18) for his meeting with President Donald Trump and other European leaders about Russia's war in Ukraine. CBS News White House reporter Taurean Small has more.

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Hamas on Monday informed mediators that it had accepted a ceasefire deal proposal submitted to it the day before, according to international and Israeli outlets.

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Kyiv

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Thousands of Israeli protesters demanded a deal to secure the release of hostages still held by Hamas in one of the biggest demonstrations since the war in Gaza began. Debora Patta reports.

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Paris

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Tel Aviv-Yafo

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LA Wildfires