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The wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles in January incinerated more than 16,000 structures and unleashed tons of toxic material into the air, water and soil. Many Pacific Palisades and Altadena homeowners who lost everything hoped the government debris-removal process would at least offer a fresh start for the land where their houses once stood.
That peace of mind may prove elusive. The government is not testing soil on supposedly cleared properties for toxic substances — so The Times did it and found evidence that the decision not to test is leaving potentially dangerous levels of contamination behind.
The federal government decided not to test the soil of L.A.’s burn areas for hazardous substances. A Times investigation found high levels of lead and other heavy metals.
The L.A. wildfires left lead and other toxins in the soil of burn zones. Here are their health risks
The Times tested for lead, mercury and other heavy metals in Altadena and Pacific Palisades. From respiratory problems to lung cancer, these are the risks of exposure.
Following best practices from previous federal post-wildfire soil-testing efforts, The Times collected samples from residential properties in Altadena and Pacific Palisades.
The Eaton and Palisades fires likely made polluted soils worse, but soil experts say bioremediation may be an alternative to scraping, especially for gardeners.
A ‘calamity waiting to unfold’: Altadena residents with standing homes fear long-term health effects
Two Altadena residents set out to collect testing data for toxic contaminants within the Eaton burn area’s standing homes. They found lead everywhere.
Soil testing revealed concerning levels of lead on properties downwind of the Eaton fire, as well as isolated “hot spots” of contamination in the Palisades, according to county officials.
Rebuilding in Altadena and Pacific Palisades has begun, despite the lack of official requirements to test soil for heavy metals and other toxic substances.
In the wake of the Eaton and Palisades fires, Army Corps officials are saying that excavating six inches of topsoil is enough to rid properties of contamination.
About this investigation
Reporters: Tony Briscoe, Noah Haggerty, Hayley Smith and Jeanette Marantos
Additional reporting: Corinne Purtill and Melody Gutierrez
Editors: Elijah Wolfson, Scott Kraft and Brittany Levine Beckman
Copy editors: Gerard Lim, John Penner and Lisa Horowitz
Data and graphics lead: Hanna Sender
Graphics: Sean Greene, Lorena Iñiguez Elebee, Sandhya Kambhampati, Phi Do and Koko Nakajima
Design lead: Jim Cooke
Photo editors: Marc Martin, Kelvin Kuo and Calvin B. Alagot
Photography: Michael Owen Baker, Myung J. Chun, Robert Gauthier, Stella Kalinina, Genaro Molina, Allen J. Schaben and Marcus Yam
Audience and platforms lead: Defne Karabatur
Audience and platforms editors: Jevon Phillips, Seth Liss, Hunter Clauss, Janine Schaults and Beto Alvarez
Video: Albert Brave Tiger Lee, Yadira Flores and Mark Potts
Soil testing lab: BSK Associates
