SACRAMENTO, Calif. — An executive order signed by Governor Gavin Newsom Saturday aims to speed up the cleanup and debris removal process in the burn scar of the devastating Mosquito Fire.
The executive order suspends some statutes, rules and regulations typically required by the California Environmental Protection Agency and the California Natural Resources Agency.
"The Mosquito Fire has resulted in widespread hazardous structural debris, which may contain dangerous toxins including heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, and asbestos, which must be cautiously and expeditiously removed and properly disposed of," the order says.
The Mosquito Fire, which burned in both El Dorado and Placer counties destroyed more than 70 structures and burned 76,700 acres of land between Sept. 6 and Oct. 27.
Newsom also issued a state of emergency Saturday for Alpine and Inyo counties due to damage from flash flooding in August.
Watch more from ABC10: California Wildfires: Flooding, mudslide worries linger over Mosquito Fire burn scar
