To inform those living within and around the Palisades and Eaton Fire zones – a Los Angeles-based organization is leading the effort to sample the soil at more than a thousand properties.
The initiative “Community Action Project LA,” is bringing together multiple universities to assist with the soil and water testing for wildfire pollutants to provide homeowners with data to make informed decisions in the recovery process.
FEMA recently announced it would not be testing the soil for contamination after the cleanup which includes removing the top 6 inches of soil from burned properties.
After the Palisades and Eaton Fires devasted LA County, many are worried about the hazardous debris spread across the burn zones and the long-term health impact.
“We’re going to have to return there to live, and not knowing what the contaminants are that we will be living in is really scary,” said Tracy Quinn, who lives in the Palisades fire zone.
Quinn was displaced after her home suffered significant smoke damage during the Palisades Fire. She said she is concerned about the wildfire pollutants scattered across the area and is grateful that CAP.LA will be surveying LA County to test for pollutants.
“The goal is that we’ll be able to give this data back to the homeowners. And then, you know, if homeowners then want to be talking to their elected officials, to their leaders, their community leaders, then they can be pushing for change. But they’re able to be data-informed,” said Brianne Gilbert, Managing Director at Loyola Marymount University’s undergraduate research center Study LA.
LMU along with UCLA and Purdue University are teaming up to collect soil and water samples from more than 1,000 homes in and around the burn zones from both the Palisades and Eaton fires.
“We’ve had well over 500 people who have already signed up. So which is enthusiastic, you know, that’s, that’s a great response from the research side,” said Gilbert. “But it really means that there are a lot of residents who are very concerned and want to know what’s happening on their properties.”
For homeowners like Quinn, the information could be vital in the recovery process.
“I am really hopeful that this can be a place where we start collecting data, not only to protect us here in Los Angeles but the future communities that are unfortunately very likely to experience the same thing,” said Quinn.
Homeowners in fire zones can sign up for this free testing which is being funded by the R&S Kayne Foundation by filling out the enrollment form here.
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