The Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles have released toxic smoke unlike typical wildfires due to the burning of homes and cars. Experts warn of unseen chemicals and hazardous materials, raising concerns about public health impacts. Air quality monitors don't capture these toxins, leaving residents vulnerable to respiratory problems and other health issues. Officials urge caution and advise against returning to affected areas until debris is safely removed.
Pollution created by the Palisades and Eaton fires differs from typical wildfire smoke largely because so many buildings and cars — home to a host of potentially toxic materials — were burned down. Above, a home destroyed by the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, CA, on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. That’s how one air quality expert describes the current public health situation in Los Angeles, where thousands are coping with destruction wreaked by the Palisades and Eaton fires.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District, the government agency charged with regulating and improving air quality for much of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernadino Counties, monitors the region’s air quality for five major pollutants including particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide — but it doesn’t account for ash from fires, nor other toxic compounds that may have been released into the air by the fires.
Melted home electronics and vehicles, for example, are potential sources of exposure to toxic metals including lead, cadmium and aluminum said California Communities Against Toxics executive director Jane Williams in a recent public briefing. Above, Cars and structures destroyed by the Eton fire at 2095 Lake Ave in Altadena, on Jan. 14, 2025.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, on Thursday, issued a new mandate prohibiting the removal of fire debris from affected areas until an approved government agency can perform a hazardous materials inspection. “Ash will remain a concern in the communities near the fires, especially on windy days when winds blow over the burned areas,” AQMD spokesperson Jack Chin said Friday. “If you see ash in the air, smell smoke, or if AQI levels are elevated, take precautions to avoid exposure.”
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