UCLA Study Finds Sharp Spike in Airborne Toxins During the Eaton Fire
A new UCLA study found that airborne contaminants rose sharply downwind during the Eaton Fire, with lead reaching up to 250 times normal background levels and arsenic, chlorine, bromine and copper also elevated. Researchers found ambient airborne pollution returned to background levels roughly six days after the flames were extinguished and remained there for months. The findings address outdoor air after the fire and are separate from ongoing concerns involving contamination left behind in indoor dust, soil and standing homes. However, the signing into law of AB 1642 and AB 1795 clarifies the particles from the smoke and ash of Wildland Urban Interface fires and urban conflagrations settle on surfaces, including inside homes, which can cause indoor hazardous levels of contamination.