LA County Post-Fire Air, Soil & Water Assessment Plan
The following table describes LA County post-fire air, soil, and water assessment activities conducted by government and academic institutions occurring in areas impacted by the fires. This plan will be updated weekly and results from the various assessments will be shared publicly on this site as they become available. Information regarding precautions residents can take to reduce risks associated with ash, soot and fire debris can be found here. Questions about the plan can be sent to dph-connect@ph.lacounty.gov.
| Organization/Agency | Area | Number of Sites | Timeline (Start Date - End Date) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor air quality | |||
| Colorado State University | Monitor placement at air quality Assessment stations run by SCAQMD: West LA, Reseda, Glendora, Pasadena, and North Hollywood. | 5; collection of PM2.5 filters and VOC tubes - analysis of air pollutants | January 15, 2025 - February 14, 2025 |
| L.A. Fire HEALTH Study Consortium (Harvard, UCLA, UC Davis, UT Austin, + USC, Yale) |
Altadena Communities Palisades Communities |
50 outside homes / mobile monitoring | February 3, 2025 - February 24, 2025, weeks mobile Assessment beginning Feb 3 (repeats in the spring) |
| South Coast Air Quality Management District |
Altadena Communities Palisades Communities |
TBD | The first mobile monitoring survey was conducted in the Altadena/Pasadena area on Jan 31. The remaining three surveys will be conducted during the first three weeks of Feb (depending on weather conditions). South Coast AQMD staff is identifying potential locations for stationary monitoring, which will last for 30-days from the collection of the first sample. |
| UCLA Fielding School of Public Health |
Altadena Communities Palisades Communities |
14 to-date~10 more planned | January 8, 2025 - February 18, 2025 |
| Indoor air - homes | |||
| L.A. Fire HEALTH Study Consortium (Harvard, UCLA, UC Davis, UT Austin, + USC, Yale) |
Altadena Communities Palisades Communities |
50-100 | February 3, 2025 - February 24, 2025 |
| UCLA Fielding School of Public Health |
Altadena Communities Palisades Communities |
14 to-date
10 more planned |
January 8, 2025 - February 18, 2025 |
| Indoor contaminants - homes | |||
| CA Dept of Public Health / CLS Environmental Health Laboratory | Altadena Communities | 5-10 | January 30, 2025 - Jan 31, 2025; future dates TBD |
| L.A. Fire HEALTH Study Consortium (Harvard, UCLA, UC Davis, UT Austin, + USC, Yale) |
Altadena Communities Palisades Communities |
50 | February 3, 2025 - February 24, 2025 |
| Outdoor soil - schools/child care | |||
| LA County Department of Public Health |
Altadena Communities Palisades Communities |
TBD | TBD |
| California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) |
Altadena Communities Palisades Communities Outside the Burn Scars |
TBD, XRF and discreate soil samples | February 11, 2025 - March 15, 2025 |
| Outdoor soil - yards | |||
| LA County Department of Public Health |
Altadena Communities Palisades Communities |
Eaton area: 35; Palisades: 45; Unaffected community: 11 |
February |
| L.A. Fire HEALTH Study Consortium (Harvard, UCLA, UC Davis, UT Austin, + USC, Yale) |
Altadena Communities Palisades Communities |
50 | February 11, 2025 - February 24, 2025 |
| California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) |
Altadena Communities Palisades Communities Outside the Burn Scars |
TBD, XRF and discreate soil samples | February 11, 2025 - March 15, 2025 |
| Outdoor soil - public spaces | |||
| LA County Department of Public Health |
Altadena Communities Palisades Communities |
TBD | TBD |
| California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) |
Altadena Communities Palisades Communities Outside the Burn Scars |
TBD, XRF and discreate soil samples | February 11, 2025 - March 15, 2025 |
| Outdoor soil - ash/soot | |||
| CA Dept of Public Health / CLS Environmental Health Laboratory | TBD | 5-50 | January 7, 2025 - February 7, 2025; future dates TBD |
| UCLA Fielding School of Public Health |
Altadena Communities Palisades Communities |
52 grab samples | January 15, 2025 - January 25, 2025 |
| Coastal sand | |||
| Los Angeles County Department of Public Works | Sediment at Will Rogers and Topanga State Beaches | One time | |
| Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board | Wet sand from 16 beaches: Nicholas Canyon, Zuma, Point Dume, Dan Blocker, Malibu Surfrider, Las Tunas, Topanga, Will Rogers, Venice, Mother's Beach, Dockweiler, Manhattan, Hermosa, Redondo, Torrance, and White Point/Royal Palms. | 16 | One sampling event Mid-February |
| Ocean Water and Surface Water | |||
| Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board |
Altadena Communities Palisades Communities |
12 coast sites; expanding to include both fires and both watersheds through monitoring effort organized with SCCWRP and Alvina Mehinto | January 20, 2025, January 27, 2025, January 3, 2025 Future dates TBD |
| Public Pools | |||
| California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Human Biological | |||
| LA County Department of Public Health - Blood lead level testing |
Altadena Communities Palisades Communities |
TBD | Mid Feb - TBD |