Your home survived the Eaton Fire. Is it safe to live in?

Yes, it is a real problem. When the Eaton Fire burned thousands of older homes, the smoke and ash spread lead, asbestos, and other heavy metal particulates from those homes. This dust got into homes that did not burn, even homes miles away. You usually can't see or smell asbestos or heavy metal dust. Many homes still test high even after they were cleaned by the homeowner or when insurance sent in a cleaning crew. Testing is the only way to know if your home is safe.

What EFRU found

EFRU collects test results from homes that were tested by licensed professionals.

• Before remediation: EFRU has test results from 260 homes. Every one of them tested positive for hazardous contamination. Out of 235 homes tested for lead dust, all 235 tested positive.
  • EFRU's before-remediation map also found other metal dust in homes. These metals are called the CAM 17 metals. They include arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and mercury. Lithium was found too. Lithium can come from burned batteries, like the ones in electric cars.
• After remediation: In 2025, EFRU looked at 50 homes. Most had been cleaned by professionals.
  • 96% of homes tested after remediation still had lead dust.
  • 63% (about 2 out of 3) still had lead dust on the floors far above the EPA's safety level.
  • 36% (about 1 out of 3) of the homes tested for asbestos still had asbestos dust.

What Caltech found

Scientists at Caltech took more than 300 samples from 52 homes in February 2025. Some homes were in the burn area. Others were miles away.

• Lead dust traveled with the smoke more than 7 miles from the fire.
• More than half of the homes had lead dust inside above the EPA's limit.
• Lead dust was highest near windows, but it was found deeper inside homes too.
• Cleaning lowered lead dust levels a lot. But about 1 out of 10 cleaned surfaces still had too much lead dust.

As one Caltech scientist put it, just because you cleaned does not mean your home is clean.

Health effects

Lead dust and asbestos dust can hurt your health. Lead dust can harm the brain, especially in children and pregnant women. Asbestos dust can cause lung cancer and other cancers. There is no safe amount of either one. Exposure to certain CAM 17 metals and lithium-containing dust can pose serious health risks, including respiratory illness, damage to the kidneys and nervous system, and, for some metals, increased cancer risk. The severity of these risks depends on the specific contaminants, their concentrations, how they enter the body, and the duration of exposure.

Where this data comes from: EFRU test results · LAist · Caltech lead study

Cleaning the ash, soot, and char you can see often does not get rid of tiny bits of lead dust and asbestos dust. These bits can be left behind. They are too small to see, and they have no smell. That means a home can look and smell clean and still not be safe.

This is why testing only for wildfire debris is not enough. Wildfire debris is ash, soot, and char. It is also called combustion byproducts, or CBP. A CBP test shows whether ash, soot, and char from the fire got into your home. That is useful proof for your insurance claim. But a CBP test does not measure how much lead dust, asbestos dust, lithium dust, or other toxic metal dust is there.

Many homes after the Eaton Fire had remediation that only removed ash, soot, and char. The toxic dust can stay behind in fine dust, carpets, furniture, your HVAC system, and other places. So a home can pass a CBP test after remediation and still not be safe.

Many people were never told. This is not your fault. Here is why the warning did not reach you:

• No one was in charge of testing inside homes. After the fire, debris removal crews cleared the lots where homes burned down. But no government agency offered to test inside the homes that were still standing. FEMA said it had no plans to do wide testing.
• There are no clear rules. California has no law that says how safe the inside of a home must be after a fire. There are also no set rules for how to test or what to test for. A new bill, AB 1642, was signed by the Governor on September 15, 2026. It will create California's first rules for testing and remediating homes after a wildfire, including rules for lead dust and asbestos dust. The bill was based on what EFRU and Caltech found inside homes. But these rules are still being made, so they were not there to protect you after the Eaton Fire.
• Help was focused on the burn area. Most help went to homes inside the fire map. But lead dust traveled more than 7 miles from the fire. Many homes outside the map were left out.
• Insurance companies often did not offer it. When they did send a tester, the test often did not check for lead dust or asbestos dust.
• The proof came later. It took months for Caltech scientists and EFRU to collect test results. Now we know how many homes were affected.

It's not just lead dust and asbestos dust. Tests have also found CAM 17 metal dust and lithium dust in homes. These can be dangerous too. Some of these metals, like arsenic and cadmium, can cause cancer. Others, like mercury, can harm the brain and nerves. Lithium dust can bother your lungs, skin, and eyes.

If your home has not been tested for asbestos dust, lead dust, CAM 17 metal dust, or lithium dust, now is the time to ask. Check the deadlines.

Where this comes from: Claims Journal on FEMA and insurance testing · Rep. Judy Chu's letter on EFRU's findings · EFRU's report to the state on the burn area

Because a CBP test does not measure lead dust or asbestos dust. CBP stands for combustion byproducts: ash, soot, and char. A CBP test shows whether those got into your home. That is useful proof for your insurance claim.

But a CBP test does not measure how much lead dust, asbestos dust, lithium dust, or other toxic metal dust is there. A home can pass a CBP test after remediation and still not be safe. If you had a CBP test, you still need testing for lead, asbestos, and other heavy metals.

Make sure you get professional, comprehensive indoor testing. That means a full array of testing inside your home.

Because the asbestos dust left after a fire is too small for most tests to see.

• Many testers use cheaper tests called PLM and PCM. PLM stands for Polarized Light Microscopy. PCM stands for Phase Contrast Microscopy. Both use a regular light microscope, so they can miss the tiniest asbestos fibers. That means a test can say "no asbestos" even when asbestos dust is there. PCM also cannot tell asbestos fibers apart from other kinds of fibers.
• TEM stands for Transmission Electron Microscopy. It uses a much stronger microscope, called an electron microscope. It can see fibers that are hundreds of times thinner than a human hair.
• Fire can break asbestos into very tiny pieces. These tiny fibers can float in the air. When you breathe them in, they can go deep into your lungs.
• TEM is the test the EPA uses to check that a building is safe after asbestos abatement.

If your home was tested with PLM or PCM and the result says "no asbestos," that may not mean there is no asbestos dust. Ask your tester to use TEM.

Where this comes from: Massachusetts state guide on why PLM can miss small fibers and TEM finds them · Eurofins lab on the EPA's TEM clearance test · Pasteur Laboratories on fire releasing tiny asbestos fibers · United Policyholders expert advice recommending TEM after the LA fires · AB 1642 bill analysis, which uses TEM for asbestos

An independent industrial hygienist that you hire yourself. An industrial hygienist is an expert who tests homes for things that can make people sick. Pick one who has tested homes after an urban wildfire, where the fire burned through neighborhoods. You can find a list of independent industrial hygienists with urban fire experience on the standinghomes.la site.

• Why hire your own? Your insurance company may send its own industrial hygienist. That's OK, but don't stop there. The insurance company's test may be too small. It may only test for ash, soot, and char. It may take only one sample per room. It may skip testing behind your walls. A small test can miss lead dust, asbestos dust, and other toxic dust.
• Your own expert works for you. They can look for more dangers and test more places in your home. This includes behind walls, in the attic, crawlspace, and garage, and in your heating and air conditioning system (HVAC).
• Ask your insurance company to pay for your expert. Your insurance company may have already tested your home with its own industrial hygienist. That is not a good reason to refuse to pay for yours. If more testing is needed to find out what the fire left in your home, that cost should be part of your claim. If your insurance company says no, ask them to explain why in writing. You can share that letter with a lawyer. See What if my insurer says no?
• Test before and after remediation. These two tests do different jobs. If you skip either one, your home may not be safe. See the three steps above.

On September 15, 2026, Governor Newsom came to Altadena and signed two new laws. Together, they create the first rules in the country for testing and remediating homes with smoke damage after a wildfire.

• AB 1642 sets the health rules. It is called the Wildfire Environmental Safety and Testing Act. It tells the state's toxic substances agency (DTSC) to set rules for when a home is safe to live in after a wildfire. The rules start with lead dust and asbestos dust (tested with TEM). They also call for testing for other dangers found after the fire, like CAM 17 metal dust and lithium dust. EFRU sponsored this bill.
• AB 1795 makes insurance companies follow those rules. It is called the Smoke Damage Recovery Act. If ash, soot, or char is found in your standing home after a wildfire, the law assumes the fire caused the smoke damage. Insurance companies must pay for testing and remediation that meets the new rules, subject to applicable law and policy provisions. They also cannot stop paying for your temporary housing until your home is restored and cleared as safe to live in.

These laws were built on real data. Lawmakers used EFRU's test results from hundreds of homes and Caltech's study of lead dust in homes after the Eaton Fire. This data showed that toxic dust got into standing homes, often miles from the fire, and that it stayed after remediation.

What this means for you: The state is still writing the new rules, and the laws take effect in 2027. Until then, you are not on your own. The laws already on the books still require your insurance company to investigate your claim and restore your home. See Will insurance pay for testing?

Where this comes from: CBS News on the signing · AB 1642 bill status · AB 1642 bill analysis · Department of Insurance on AB 1795 · EFRU's data presented to the state's smoke claims task force

California laws that are already in effect can require an insurance company to test your home after an urban fire. AB 1642 and AB 1795 don't go into effect until 2027, but other California laws already apply to standing homes with smoke damage.

• Your policy must cover all loss by fire. (Ins. Code § 2070 and § 2071) California law says home insurance must cover "all loss by fire." This is not only for homes that burned down. What matters is whether the fire caused the damage. If the fire left lead dust, asbestos dust, or other toxic dust in your home, that damage can be covered. Your policy limits and exclusions still apply.
• Your insurance company must investigate your claim fairly. (10 CCR § 2695.7(d)) Your insurance company must do a thorough, fair, and objective investigation of your claim. Testing for lead, asbestos, and other heavy metals is how you find out what the fire left in your home.
• Your home must be restored to how it was before the fire. (10 CCR § 2695.9) Your insurance company must restore your home to at least the condition it was in before the fire. Testing shows whether your home is truly back to that condition. If repairs cause more damage, that must be covered too, unless your policy says otherwise.
• The Insurance Commissioner says insurance companies should pay for testing when it is warranted. (Bulletin 2025-7, March 7, 2025) After the LA fires, the Commissioner told insurance companies to fully investigate smoke damage claims. He said that when professional testing is warranted, he expects the insurance company to hire the testers and pay for it. He also said it is not fair for an insurance company to make you pay big costs to investigate your own claim.

Testing is warranted. Between them, EFRU and Caltech found lead dust, asbestos dust, CAM 17 metal dust, and lithium dust inside homes after the Eaton Fire. They found it even in homes miles from the burn area, and even after remediation. (See Is this really a problem?) That is plenty of proof that testing for all four is warranted.

Some insurance companies still say no to testing at first. If yours does, point to these laws. Also see What if my insurer says no?

Yes, but there isn't much time left.

Why you can still reopen your claim

• Remediation may not have removed the toxic dust. In EFRU's 2025 sample of 50 homes, 96% of homes tested after remediation still had lead dust. 36% of homes tested after remediation still had asbestos dust. If your home was never tested, you don't know if it is safe.
• Your home must be restored to how it was before the fire. Under 10 CCR § 2695.9, your insurance company must restore your home to at least the condition it was in before the fire. If toxic dust from the fire is still in your home, it has not been fully restored.
• New proof can reopen your claim. If testing finds lead dust, asbestos dust, or other toxic dust, send the results to your insurance company and ask them to reopen your claim. Your insurance company must look into it in a thorough, fair, and objective way (10 CCR § 2695.7(d)).

Why time is short

The 24-month limit to file a lawsuit against your insurance company may run out on January 7, 2027. That date is not a deadline to open a new claim. To be within the limit, you need to act before then. The clock can sometimes pause while your insurance company is handling your claim, but don't count on that. See Is there still time to file a claim?

Don't give up. You have rights, and there is help. If your insurance company says no to testing, or won't pay for your own expert, take these steps:

1. Ask again in writing. Ask your insurance company to do a thorough investigation that includes professional testing. Point to Bulletin 2025-7. It says insurance companies are expected to pay for testing when it is warranted.
2. Ask them to pay for your own expert. Explain in writing why your industrial hygienist's testing is needed. This matters most if the insurance company's test skipped lead dust, asbestos dust, other heavy metals, or parts of your home. If you already paid for testing, send the report, lab results, and bill, and ask to be paid back.
3. Get the "no" in writing. Ask your insurance company to explain its reasons, its evidence, and the part of your policy it is relying on.
4. Keep copies of everything. Save letters, emails, test reports, estimates, and photos. Under Ins. Code § 2071, you can ask your insurance company for copies of documents about your claim.
5. Watch your deadlines. Talking with your insurance company or filing a complaint does not give you more time to sue. See Is there still time to file a claim?

Who can help you

• A wildfire insurance lawyer. EFRU strongly recommends talking to a lawyer who handles California wildfire insurance and insurance bad faith cases. If your insurance company unfairly refuses to test or pay, that may be bad faith. You do not have to finish your insurance company's appeals or file a complaint first. For a list of fire litigation lawyers, visit standinghomes.la.
• The California Department of Insurance. If your insurance company won't investigate fairly, you can file a complaint. Call the consumer hotline at 1-800-927-4357. A complaint can help, but it does not take the place of a lawyer.
• United Policyholders. This nonprofit offers free help for Eaton and Palisades fire survivors through its Roadmap to Recovery program. It has sample letters asking for retesting, guidance on smoke damage and remediation, and webinars on your rights and deadlines. Visit uphelp.org.

This is general information, not legal advice. Every claim is different.

There may still be time, but not much.

• If you haven't filed an insurance claim, the last day to do so is January 6, 2027.
• If you filed a claim but haven't had testing for lead, asbestos, or other heavy metals, the 24-month limit to file a lawsuit against your insurer may run out on January 7, 2027.

• Why January 7, 2027? California's standard fire policy (Ins. Code § 2071) sets a time limit to sue your insurance company. Usually, you only have 12 months after the fire. But when the state declares an emergency, like it did for the Eaton Fire, the law gives you 24 months, or 2 years. For the Eaton Fire, 2 years from the fire is January 7, 2027. This is the date the lawsuit limit runs out. It does not mean you can still start a claim on that day.
• Tell your insurance company now. Your policy says you must report damage "without unnecessary delay." Call or write to your insurance company today, and keep a copy of what you send.

Every claim is different. This is not legal advice. If you are not sure about your deadlines, talk to a lawyer or one of the legal help groups on this page.

Where this comes from: California fire insurance claim deadlines