It’s the question Los Angeles officials say they’re hearing more than any other from wildfire evacuees: When can I return home? It is one of many questions raised by the disaster that doesn’t have a simple answer.

Earlier this week, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said the first serious discussions about dialing down evacuations and repopulating communities would take place Thursday, after the worst of the predicted winds passed.

But even for those whose homes were not destroyed, getting back to their neighborhoods may be delayed by the critical work of removing hazardous debris. That cleanup process could take three to six months, an EPA official told CNN.

The state’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery says even after workers in head-to-toe protective gear remove the visible hazardous debris, many properties will still need to have contaminated topsoil removed along with concrete, which is porous and can absorb toxic water.

Facing raised eyebrows about stories of private fire brigades saving the homes and businesses of the wealthy in some areas, local leaders assured people that there is no secret to expediting the process of reentry into evacuation zones, even for those who have already hired private contractors for cleanup.

“We … need to address and dispel a rumor circulating in the community: there is no permit for expedited re-entry into evacuation zones,” Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart said Tuesday. “Any claims or offers to provide such a permit are false.”

Officials say, even once people are allowed to return, they need to be prepared for a lot of stops and starts in the process of recovering their lives.