The January Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed more than 16,000 structures in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Everything that burned, from batteries in electric vehicles to plastics in furniture, has now contaminated the air, water, and soil. This situation has left homeowners and researchers concerned about the extent of the contamination.
Loyola Marymount University’s StudyLA has partnered with researchers from UCLA and Purdue University in Indiana to offer homeowners in affected areas the opportunity to apply for free testing to identify wildfire-related contaminants, such as metals, PFAS, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds, in the soil, air, and water on their properties. The Community Action Project L.A. (CAP.LA) is funded by the R&S Kayne Foundation. Since the project launched on February 18, 2025, over 3,000 homeowners have signed up for consideration.
“One thing I didn’t realize before starting this project was that homeowners often are charged between $5,000 and $10,000 for soil testing, and that’s just one of the many safety components,” said Brianne Gilbert, managing director of StudyLA. “We have received hundreds of emails and phone calls from homeowners expressing their desperation, as many cannot afford the testing on their own. We’ve heard from parents concerned about whether it’s safe for their kids to play outside without shoes or from pet owners wanting to know if their pets can run around their yard safely. Your heart goes out to these people who have endured so much.”
Sarah Ali, managing director of the R&S Kayne Foundation and who graduated from LMU with a B.A. in political science in ’01 and an M.A. in school administration in ’09, reached out to Fernando Guerra, professor of political science and Chicana/o Latina/o studies, as well as the founding director of StudyLA. Ali thought Study LA would be the perfect partner to complete the CAP.LA team by focusing on the community engagement pieces of the project. The team includes Sanjay Mohanty, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at UCLA, Yifang Zhu, professor of environmental health sciences at UCLA, and Andrew Whelton, professor of civil, environmental, and ecological engineering at Purdue, who specializes in water quality and post-disaster recovery.
UCLA is taking the lead on collecting and analyzing soil and air samples. StudyLA is utilizing Geographic Information System mapping and analysis to ensure that samples are gathered from homeowners throughout the Eaton and Palisades fire areas. This approach aims to prevent the clustering of samples in particular areas, allowing researchers to gain a comprehensive overview of contamination trends. Meanwhile, Purdue is focusing on the overall landscape of post-disaster recovery. They plan to canvass community experiences and concerns so that these issues can be addressed by officials and decision-makers. StudyLA is leveraging its expertise in public opinion polling and surveying in Los Angeles to assist Purdue with the survey design. “This is the largest project StudyLA has ever been a part of, and the CAP.LA Team has been amazing, with everyone working in their strengths,” said Gilbert.
Homeowners chosen to participate will receive their test results within two weeks after sample collection. One of the project’s main goals is to empower homeowners with data they can use when advocating for themselves with insurance companies, community leaders, and elected officials. In addition to assisting homeowners, the project aims to collect more than 1,200 soil samples, in addition to pool water samples and air quality readings, aggregate the data, and create online story maps to highlight areas that may be hotspots for contamination. This information will be accessible to the public and elected officials.
The CAP.LA team is also expanding the project by organizing pop-up events at LMU and in locations near Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Homeowners will have the opportunity to drop off samples at these locations. Although these events will not be part of the systematic study, they will help ensure that more homeowners are data-informed.
“This is the most impactful study I have been involved in during my 16 years at LMU,” said Gilbert. “There is a clear correlation between our work and the support we are providing to homeowners. Many individuals have expressed gratitude for our efforts, and several alumni from the affected areas have shared their pride in LMU’s involvement with this project.”
