Following the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires, researchers and officials are assessing the impact of wildfire debris and potentially toxic ash on the Pacific Ocean. The fires burned thousands of homes and businesses, releasing hazardous materials into the environment. Concerns are growing about the effects on marine life, water quality, and the food chain.
LOS ANGELES — On a recent Sunday, Tracy Quinn drove down the Pacific Coast Highway to assess damage wrought upon the coastline by the Palisades Fire. The water line was darkened by ash. Burnt remnants of washing machines and dryers and metal appliances were strewn about the shoreline. Sludge carpeted the water’s edge. Waves during high tide lapped onto charred homes, pulling debris and potentially toxic ash into the ocean as they receded.
That runoff could contain “a lot of nutrients, nitrogen and phosphate that end up in the ash of the burn material that can get into the water,” said Dias, as well as “heavy metals, something called PAHs, which are given off when you burn different types of fuel.” Mudslides and debris flows in the Palisades Fire burn zone also can dump more hazardous waste into the ocean.
WILDFIRE OCEAN CONTAMINATION MARINE LIFE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS CLIMATE CHANGE
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