A mobile survey was conducted by South Coast AQMD in the Palisades Fire area near cleanup and re-populated zones on February 10th. Overall air toxic metals and VOCs are within background levels and national standards and state health thresholds.
Results show no elevated levels of:
Air toxic metals including lead and arsenic
VOCs including benzene (Figure 7)
On January 31, 2025, South Coast AQMD began air monitoring efforts in the burn scars and surrounding communities of the Eaton Fire and Palisades Fire. Debris removal could cause hazardous dust and ash to become airborne. This initiative, supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and, in close coordination with the California Air Resources Board (CARB), will assess air quality during debris removal or other activities. South Coast AQMD’s monitoring efforts will occur in two key stages.
Stage One: Mobile Monitoring of Air Toxics: Four mobile monitoring surveys will be conducted. Two in the Eaton Fire area and two in the Palisades Fire area. Mobile monitors provide instantaneous measurements for air toxic metals and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) and will be used to identify potential areas of elevated pollutants near the Eaton and Palisades Fire areas. Results of the mobile monitoring will help identify locations for temporary air monitoring stations.
Stage Two: Stationary Air Monitoring: Placement of air monitoring stations will be determined based on mobile monitoring results, cleanup activity, sensitive receptors (such as residents and schools) and meteorological conditions. These stations will include air monitors that will provide data for particulate matter (PM), lead, arsenic, and asbestos in communities near the burn zones. South Coast AQMD is planning to conduct this initial stationary air monitoring for one month.
For more news and updates on the Palisades Fire, Click Here.
Social Buttons