Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) is planning to remove 193 trees as part of an Eaton Fire contamination cleanup project at 11 district sites, tied to the removal and replacement of contaminated soil before the 2026–27 school year.

What the plan is

  • PUSD will remove fire‑related contaminants from soil and trees at 11 campuses and district sites that were impacted by the January 2025 Eaton Fire.
  • The work is classified as emergency environmental remediation directed by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) under state Health and Safety Code and PRC Section 21080(b)(3).
  • Crews will excavate about 8,000–8,367 cubic yards of contaminated soil (roughly 13,390 tons, ~613 truckloads) and replace it with clean soil.

The 193 trees: where and why

  • PUSD’s facilities chief (Michael Dunning) stated that 193 trees are affected across the 11 sites.
  • Trees that are rooted in contaminated soil within the excavation zones “must be removed to allow safe excavation,” not just because of tree condition or aesthetics.
  • The contamination is described as “fire analytes” and other fire‑related contaminants from the Eaton Fire that pose a health and safety threat to children and workers if left in place.

The 11 sites are:

Site type Location (PUSD)
High school Blair High School
High school John Muir High School Early College Magnet
Magnet / middle Octavia E. Butler Magnet
Elementary Field Elementary
Elementary Franklin Elementary (Altadena site)
Elementary Longfellow Elementary Magnet
Elementary San Rafael Elementary
Elementary Washington Elementary STEM Magnet
Early childhood Jefferson Dual Language Children’s Center / Children’s & Teen’s Center
Former school site Former Cleveland Elementary School site
District admin PUSD Education Center

Timeline and logistics

  • Soil removal is scheduled to begin immediately after the 2025–26 school year ends in early June 2026 and to be finished before mid‑August 2026 so schools can reopen for 2026–27.
  • Removal of contaminated soil and trees will occur while students and staff are off campus; later delivery of clean soil and landscaping may continue while school is in session because it does not involve contaminated material.
  • Estimated truck counts by site (for soil) include about 163 truckloads at Blair High, 136 at San Rafael Elementary, and 122 at Longfellow Magnet, with the rest distributed among the other sites.

Replacement and restoration promises

  • PUSD says it will aim for a one‑to‑one replacement of removed trees, restoring each campus with appropriately sized trees and native plants, even though the city’s Tree Protection Ordinance does not require replacement for environmental remediation projects.
  • The district is coordinating tree work with the City of Pasadena and West Coast Arborists, Inc., a firm that contracts with many public agencies.
  • PUSD says campuses will remain “welcoming, healthy, and green” and that the emergency cleanup is not optional once soil is identified as a health and safety risk.

Official documents and where to read more

  • PUSD “Removal & Restoration” / “Restoring Our Schools” info page with FAQs and site‑specific timelines: PUSD site under Fire Relief / Safety / Removal and Restoration.
  • CEQA / CEQAnet notice “Soil Removal/Replacement at Multiple District Properties,” which lays out the emergency exemption and scope (approx. 8,000 cubic yards of soil, tree and infrastructure replacement): CEQAnet project 2026030159.
  • News coverage with the explicit “193 trees” figure and truckload estimates: article in Pasadena Now about “Pasadena Unified to replace fire‑contaminated soil, nearly 200 trees at 11 campuses and sites this summer.”

Sources

  1. https://www.pusd.us/fire-relief/safety/removal-and-restoration
  2. https://pasadenanow.com/main/pasadena-unified-to-replace-fire-contaminated-soil-nearly-200-trees-at-11-campuses-and-sites-this-summer
  3. https://ceqanet.lci.ca.gov/2026030159
  4. https://www.coloradoboulevard.net/pasadena-unified-to-begin-large-scale-remediation-at-11-sites-affected-by-eaton-fire/
  5. https://app.smore.com/n/d834j-05-29-26-restoring-outdoor-spaces
  6. https://www.instagram.com/p/DZIvdRkkn0m/
  7. https://www.cta.org/educator/posts/pasadena-fighting-back-against-cuts-after-devastating-wildfires
  8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAnycbgxHdM
  9. https://www.facebook.com/pasadena.now/posts/pasadena-unified-to-replace-fire-contaminated-soil-nearly-200-trees-at-11-campus/1634518431376915/
  10. https://www.cityofpasadena.net/public-works/urban-forestry/
  11. https://www.pusd.us
  12. https://www.pusd.us/departments/facilities-maintenance-operations/facilities-planning-construction