Following an analysis of soil samples from approximately 1% of homes affected by the Eaton Fire, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reassured residents that most properties cleared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers do not contain harmful levels of lead. However, skepticism remains among some external scientists.
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The Eaton Fire, which occurred in January 2025, devastated approximately 9,400 homes and structures in the Altadena area. The fire released smoke containing hazardous substances such as lead, arsenic, and asbestos into the atmosphere, which settled in nearby locations. Lead is known to be a potent neurotoxin linked to developmental issues in children.
The EPA conducted tests on 100 randomly selected homes within the debris removal zone; results indicated that only five properties exceeded lead testing standards. Additionally, 17 parcels surpassed California’s stricter standards. Overall, median lead levels across all analyzed properties were significantly below both state and federal thresholds, as per the findings shared by the agency with NBC News. The EPA’s news release was published on Tuesday.
“This should instill confidence in residents regarding the effective management of fire-related contaminants, particularly lead,” stated Michael Montgomery, Director of the EPA’s Region 9 Superfund and Emergency Management Division responsible for the testing. “The Corps removed ash, debris, and contaminated soil to acceptable levels.”
Montgomery emphasized that the EPA believes these results are relevant to the entire burn zone.
“I can affirm with 95% confidence that the areas that were remediated in Altadena and Pasadena fell below both California’s and federal inspection levels,” he asserted.
The EPA affirmed that the cleanup methodologies employed by the Army Corps were scientifically validated, and the efforts were considered effective in mitigating contamination.
“Under the Trump administration, the EPA initiated this proactive assessment to validate science-based cleanup protocols for future wildfire disaster responses,” commented Mike Martucci, acting regional administrator for the EPA’s Pacific Southwest division, in a press release.
Concerns about contamination loomed in Altadena, with many neighborhoods blanketed in soot, ash, and burn marks from the Eaton Fire. This area comprises older homes built before the elimination of lead from construction materials such as pipes and paints. The Army Corps removed debris from roughly two-thirds of the site where structures burned; however, they did not perform soil tests, leaving residents apprehensive about potential hazards.
Consultant, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported that a private organization is currently testing soil conditions in the area, revealing mixed results that have raised significant concerns.
Andrew Welton, a professor specializing in civil, environmental, and ecological engineering at Purdue University, commented that the EPA’s analysis cannot be interpreted as definitive. He pointed out that the agency adopted a methodology aimed at evaluating average risks rather than identifying specific at-risk areas.
“The outcomes are not truly representative of conditions in the Eaton Fire area,” Welton explained. “The sampling methods employed were not comparable to data gathered by other organizations and do not meet California residents’ expectations for property safety.”
Since its initiation in 2025, the debris removal operation conducted by the Army Corps has come under scrutiny. Two whistleblowers recently informed NBC News that the removal processes were inconsistent and hurried. One individual claimed that the quantity of debris left behind was more significant than observed in previous wildfire events, raising fears among residents about ongoing contamination challenges.
“The process is incomplete,” stated one whistleblower.
Montgomery revealed that the Federal Emergency Management Agency requested the EPA to conduct a test in response to concerns raised by local officials and residents. He noted that the EPA had not performed such evaluations after past wildfires.
The EPA designed this study to comprehensively assess contamination levels throughout the burned region of Eaton, selecting properties randomly and visiting those for which residents granted access.
During the inspections, the agency collected soil at two distinct depths from 30 locations within the “ash footprint” designated by the Army Corps for debris removal and soil scraping.
The collected soil was then combined to create two composite samples from the selected sites. One sample was taken from surface level and the other from approximately six inches below the topsoil.
Analyses showed the median lead concentration in surface soil was 31 milligrams per kilogram, well under California’s concern level of 80 milligrams per kilogram and the EPA’s threshold of 200 milligrams per kilogram. Below the surface, the median concentration reached 43 mg/kg.
The EPA’s findings indicated that five surface samples exceeded federal testing thresholds, with one sample registering at 705 mg/kg.
Welton expressed concern that the EPA’s pooling of soil samples from 30 locations may mask contamination hotspots present within certain areas.
“Historically in California, hotspots tend to emerge post-debris removal when contractors fail to eliminate all ash and debris,” Welton noted. “Even properties passing this individual test may still exhibit lead levels exceeding acceptable limits.”
He emphasized that the EPA only tested within the designated volcanic ash footprint, and the results do not encompass portions of properties the Corps opted not to scrape.
Welton pointed out that the most contaminated properties, averaging 705 mg/kg for lead, pose a valid concern. Lead levels surpassing 1,000 mg/kg classify as hazardous waste requiring disposal in specialized landfills.
“This indicates that the overall property is more contaminated,” Welton cautioned. “There may still exist higher lead levels in certain areas.”
Source: www.nbcnews.com