For over 40 years, Dirtworks has shown up for Southern California on the biggest jobs, in the hardest conditions, and when the stakes could not be higher. From emergency disaster response in the aftermath of some of the most destructive wildfires in California history, to major utility and construction projects that keep our region running, we bring the experience, the equipment, and the people to get it done. This is the work we are proud of. This is Dirtworks.

PALISADES FIRE — EMERGENCY ROAD ACCESS & POLE RESTORATION

When the Palisades Fire tore through one of the most devastating burn areas in California history, it took down power poles across the region and cut off access to critical SCE infrastructure. Within three hours of getting the call on January 18th, Dirtworks was on the ground scouting with SCE. By the next morning, equipment was mobilized and the crew was at work. That is the Dirtworks standard.

Over three weeks, a crew of eight tackled terrain that would stop most contractors in their tracks. Access roads to damaged pole locations were steep, rocky, and in some cases completely washed out. Dirtworks graded and restored full road access to multiple pole sites using excavators, a road blade, track water trucks, and skid steers, carving passable routes through some of the most rugged post-fire landscape in the region. Once access was established, two drill rigs went to work drilling over 40 new pole holes and anchor locations so SCE crews could move in and begin restoring power to the communities that needed it most.

Getting equipment to the sites was its own battle. Navigating semis through narrow, steep streets with partial lane closures from downed power lines and active crews working overhead required precision, patience, and relentless problem solving at every turn. But the crew delivered. Dirtworks is proud of how fast we responded and how well our team executed under pressure. Being part of restoring power to the Palisades community after one of the worst disasters this region has ever seen is something we carry with us. It is exactly the kind of work that reminds us why we do what we do.

The Eaton fire DISASTER RESPONSE & RECOVERY

When the Eaton Fire swept through the San Gabriel Mountains in January 2025, it left more than a charred landscape in its wake. It destabilized the steep terrain surrounding Southern California Edison's critical transmission infrastructure, leaving power towers vulnerable to the heavy rains bearing down on the region. SCE called on Dirtworks to deploy emergency Best Management Practices and erosion control across eight remote locations in the burn zone. What followed was five months of some of the most demanding field work our crews have ever taken on.

Five of the eight sites had no road access. Getting materials in meant coordinating directly with helicopter pilots, managing landing zones, rigging zip lines above the towers, and lowering hundreds of sandbags down burned-out slopes one load at a time. On the ground, crew trucks and fire suppression trucks kept operations moving, with dust suppression a constant safety requirement during helicopter ops in close proximity to the work zone. At each site, crews installed sandbag systems anchored with wattle stake bundles, bio wattles, and daisy chains, then laid visqueen sheeting across the slopes to redirect water flow and protect the tower foundations below.

Nothing about this job went exactly to plan, and that is what made it matter. The original SCE erosion control design had to be revised in the field when it became clear the burn damage was far more severe than anticipated. Materials were rethought, logistics rebuilt, and solutions engineered on steep terrain with the clock ticking. Back at the office, the team worked just as hard coordinating material deliveries, managing scheduling, and solving problems in real time so that the crew on the ground never lost momentum. Then, at the very end, with the last sections of visqueen left to secure, the Santa Ana winds rolled in and the crew dug in and got it done anyway. Eight sites. Five months. Terrain that pushed every limit. Dirtworks showed up, adapted, and delivered as one team from the office to the field, because that is what we do when it counts.

Montecito Mudslides — Emergency Debris Removal

In January 2018, a series of catastrophic mudslides swept through Montecito in the wake of the Thomas Fire, burying roads, blocking the 101 freeway, and cutting off access to homes throughout the community. The destruction was swift and the need was urgent. Dirtworks mobilized within hours of the call.

Our crew of rolloff truck drivers deployed immediately, heading straight into conditions that most equipment operators would think twice about. Roads were buried under mud and boulders. Access in and out of the area was gone. The community was cut off, and every hour mattered.

The work was straightforward in concept but demanding in execution. Load after load of debris had to be hauled out to reopen roads and restore freeway access. Navigating heavy rolloff trucks through thick, unstable mud required real skill and steady focus. There was no room for error, and our drivers delivered.

Over the course of two to three weeks, the roads were opened and residents were able to return to their homes. For the Dirtworks crew on the ground, the most meaningful part had nothing to do with equipment or logistics. It was being part of the effort that gave a community its access back. That is the kind of work Dirtworks shows up for, and it is what our team takes pride in every time the call comes in.