The second phase of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's debris removal plan is set to begin this week, with crews now targeting residential properties impacted by the two devastating wildfires that broke out in January. 

"This mission is personal for us," said Major General Jason Kelly, the deputy commanding general for Civil and Emergency Operations with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "Our teams on the ground are bringing the same urgency, precision and care to residential properties that we do with all our civil works and military construction missions around the world."

Debris cleanup began as soon as allowed by the Eaton and Palisades fires, which both erupted on Jan. 7 and rapidly grew to engulf tens of thousands of acres and destroy thousands of homes and businesses. 

A week after the fires both broke out, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to speed up the debris removal process in the impacted areas, and in weeks since constant work has been underway to try and expedite Los Angeles' recovery. 

As Phase 1 neared completion, FEMA urged homeowners to begin applying for free cleanup with help from USACE, who are will now turn their attention to homes destroyed and damaged by the fires starting Tuesday. They can still apply through the end of March, joining the thousands that have already signed up.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, has been working in partnership with six locally affected jurisdictions in order to help survivors of the fires in collecting Rights of Entry, coordinating responsible transport and disposal of fire ash and debris and establish safe debris haul routes, according to a statement from FEMA. 

"Clearing debris is the first step toward recovery, and we are committed to helping residents in communities across LA County rebuild," said Colonel Eric Swenson, the commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Recovery Field Office. "The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is proud to support this mission alongside our federal, state and local partners to ensure families return home and begin the rebuilding process as quickly as possible."

With the cleanup scheduled, officials advised people living in the areas that there will likely be an increase in truck traffic in their neighborhoods and along the debris removal routes heading to local landfills. 

The ongoing cleanup has sparked some controversy throughout LA County, especially as various staging sites pop up for debris removal and sorting purposes. Notably, in the San Gabriel Valley and at Will Rogers State Beach, where locals have vocally opposed the decisions to move the waste from inside of the impacted areas. 

On Monday, FEMA teams walked door to door to homes that were still standing to offer resources to families looking to rebuild. 

"Our goal is to reach the people that for some reason cannot come to the centers that we have," said one of the members of the Disaster Survivor Assistance teams walking around on Monday. 

They're also hoping to bridge any gaps of confusion that may still remain with potential beneficiaries of FEMA assistance, like David Fennessy. 

He applied for help weeks ago, but found that someone had already filed a phony application under his name. Fortunately, FEMA was able to quickly freeze that application.

That, paired with seeing the teams canvassing his neighborhood on Monday, gives him a sense of hope for the future. 

"It really shows they care," Fennessy said. "How much effort they're putting in, you'd never expect them to come to your home. ... It's fantastic. I'd found them, but if I hadn't they came and found me."

If a DSA team does stop by someone's home but they're not greeted or able to talk with a resident, they leave a brochure with information that aids them through the assistance application process and some resources they can take advantage of.

So far, FEMA has approved more than $70 million in housing and other types of individual assistance since the fires broke out. More than 133,000 people have registered for help and Disaster Recovery Centers have successfully assisted more than 13,000 homes.