Riverside County property owners whose land was damaged by the Airport fire in September have more time to request a free cleanup.

The deadline has been extended to March 14 to submit forms for the second and final phase of the cleanup, the Riverside County Emergency Management Department announced.

In the first, state-required phase, household hazardous waste was removed. In the second phase, in which participation is optional, all remaining material, including foundations, ash, nonretaining walls and burned vehicles, will be removed by crews from Orange County. The remaining soil will be leveled and tested to ensure the property is remediated and ready for rebuilding.

Property owners must sign and submit a form granting permission to enter their property that can be found at RivCoReady.org/Recovery.

Insured landowners who choose to join the government-sponsored cleanup program must file a claim and give any insurance proceeds for debris and hazard tree removal to Orange County. Instructions are on the property-entry form.

Property owners may also work with their insurance carrier or a private contractor to clear the property at their expense.

Anyone who doesn’t clean up his/her property may be subject to a review by code enforcement, said Bruce Barton, the Emergency Management Department director.

More information is available by contacting Diana Swartz at 714-750-6049 or diana.swartz@ocgov.com.

The Airport fire was accidentally started Sept. 9 in Trabuco Canyon by an Orange County Public Works crew. It roared into Riverside County, burning 23,519 acres and 119 homes. The enclave of El Cariso Village was hit particularly hard by the flames.