Faced with opposition from wildfire survivors and elected California officials, federal disaster agencies are defending their decision to abandon soil testing as cleaners remove debris from properties burning in the Los Angeles County fire.
Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said federal cleanup workers would remove toxic wildfire ash and rubble, as well as 6 inches of topsoil from the property. But this week, federal officials told The Times They won’t order soil tests To confirm that the properties have not been contaminated after removal.
Follow-up soil tests (after every major wildfire in California since 2007) are designed to ensure state standards are repaired, but still do not include Dangerous levels of toxic substances.
But now, after the wildfire, the agency responsible for allocating funds and outlining the cleaning procedures, FEMA said scraping 6 inches of topsoil from each property is enough to protect public health.
Brandi Richard Thompson, spokesman for FEMA District 9, oversees disaster responses in the southwestern U.S. and Pacific islands, said the agency’s cleanup strategy “based on scientific best practices and FEMA’s Long-term policy”. She said any contaminants over 3 to 6 inches are “not likely to be attributed to the fire itself and will not immediately pose a threat to public health and safety.”
The crew cleared a property on Palm Street in Altadna.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
“While FEMA is committed to supporting the community’s rehabilitation, decisions regarding other soil testing and overexcavation will be left to local and state authorities,” Richard Thompson said in a statement to the Times. “Under existing public health or reconstruction regulations, these measures are not required and FEMA cannot fund activities that are not directly related to fire-related pollution. However, local governments are free to conduct additional testing.”
However, less than two years ago, FEMA paid for soil testing after the 2023 Maui wildfire. FEMA officials said they ordered testing in Hawaii, where there are fewer historical wildfire data than in California. They said in the future, they will not order soil testing in the wildfires there and the rest of District 9.
FEMA’s new position ignores a large number of properties found in past wildfire reactions Still containing unsafe levels of toxic chemicals Even after 6 inches the upper soil was removed.
Federal cleanup policies have sparked widespread anger among public officials and fire survivors who fear that the approach could leave dangerous toxic substances behind. In response to the Times report, Gov. Gavin Newsom called an emergency cabinet meeting Thursday morning to discuss the lack of soil sampling. However, his office has not provided any details about the governor’s position on the federal cleanup.
“The governor has been closely monitoring the development of the reconstruction and recovery of the Los Angeles fires,” said Newsom spokesman Danielvilaseñor. “He has always focused on moving rapidly while also protecting the safety of the community.”
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) whose districts include Pacific Palisades, said he urged FEMA District 9 administrator Robert Fenton to reconsider his plans.
“Their standard answer is, ‘Well, we’ve done a great job of removing debris, and we’re sure it’ll be safe,” Sherman said. “But people should do the test.”
Sherman said if FEMA refuses, he will turn to state agencies or local researchers for soil sampling.
Although soil testing can be expensive, the price of returning to digging out additional dirt is even higher—the cost per property increases by tens of thousands of dollars.
Some federal and local officials have expressed concern that soil testing will encounter pollution that is not related to wildfires that need to be remedied. Sherman said it was the wrong way to see it.
“I don’t think residents are unsafe because of one thing or another,” Sherman said. “We want to know that it’s safe.”
Mayor Karen Bass’s office responded to these views.
“The mayor said we will rebuild as soon as possible, but it must be safe,” said Beth spokesman Zach Seidl. “She will work with all partners at all levels of government to enable residents of Palisade.” They can trust their property to be protected from toxins.”
Meanwhile, Rep. D-Monterey Park said she had contacted federal agencies to get answers from voters in Altadena and Pasadena who lost their homes and businesses in the Eaton fire.
“When we recover from wildfires, the health and safety of my constituents are the highest in my mind,” Chu said in a statement. “Survivors must have the ability to return to homes and property without causing toxicity. Ashes threaten their lives and their families. I am connecting with FEMA, EPA, county and environmental experts to reach the bottom. I am deeply concerned about the potential of toxins to remain in the soil after debris is removed, and I will be with local, state and federal ones level partners to ensure our community is safe.”
FEMA policy has led some wildfire survivors to consider withdrawing from Army-led cleanup plans.
Among them is Kenneth Ehrlich, a 26-year resident of Pacific Palisades, who died in the fire. When he and his two sons returned nearby, they did not bother getting out of the car.
“Our house was blown away, gone, dust,” Erich recalled. “Everything standing was our chimney and basketball hoops. We didn’t even turn to our streets. We could see everything disappeared.”
Ehrlich said he was cautious about rebuilding land that might still be contaminated, which could put his family at risk of inhaling or touching toxic dust when outdoors.
In Pacific Palisades, the entire community remains Covered with poisonous ashes and debris From incinerated houses and vehicles. Public officials warn that the wildfire ash may contain brain-damaged lead and arsenic that causes cancer.
EPA crew combs out the ruins of the house on Miami Road, which was burned in the Palisade fire.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
As heavy rains enter the charred landscape, officials worry that pollutants penetrate into the soil, raising concerns about the risk of long-term exposure.
As a result, Ehrlich and some of his neighbors have contacted private contractors who may be willing to conduct soil testing when removing wildfire debris and a layer of topsoil.
“I’m not satisfied or confident about the Army process,” Erich said. “I’m uncomfortable or confident that they’re making money from my insurance – it’s opaque and no one knows how much it will cost. And I don’t have comfort. , Finally I’m going to be on the last clean website.”
The Army Corps of Engineers, which was responsible for removing debris, said its hands were tied. It is bound to the FEMA directive, which explicitly excludes tests and prohibits crew members from returning to eliminate more pollutants (if the pollutants hover).
Public officials initially touted the speed of cleanup. But now lost, residents like Erich hope leaders slow down and solve the problem.
“We want the removal of debris to happen quickly,” Erich said. “But [you’ve] This has to be done the right way so you don’t mess up someone else. You have to give people a safe mat that they can develop and live without getting sick. Nothing happened now. ”
