California’s air monitoring response to LA fires is largest in state history

SACRAMENTO - During a presentation to the Board today, California Air Resources Board (CARB) staff detailed the agency's air quality monitoring work in response to January's historic wildfires in Los Angeles - the largest emergency response in CARB's history.

The Palisades and Eaton Fires, which burned nearly 40,000 acres and destroyed over 16,000 structures, raised concerns about air pollution in surrounding communities, especially regarding potential toxics. CARB's Incident Air Monitoring Section (IAMS) mobilized resources to help the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) expand its air monitoring network to measure pollutants such as arsenic, lead, and asbestos in communities near the burn scars.

IAMS specializes in deploying air monitoring resources during environmental emergencies to assess air quality risks and provide timely data to communities. Amid California's historic recovery and rebuilding efforts for the LA fires, CARB's response marks the largest in the program's 34-year history, with a rapid deployment of monitoring equipment and extensive collaboration with key partners to protect public health.

As part of the response, five new air monitoring sites were established in February; the locations were identified through mobile surveys conducted in communities near the burn scars. The data from these monitors is available as part of a dashboard on South Coast AQMD's website. The dashboard allows residents and health officials to track levels of particulate matter and over two dozen air toxics, including heavy metals and asbestos. Initial monitoring shows levels do not pose an immediate risk to public health.

Overview of air quality monitoring efforts underway in the Los Angeles area during the Palisades and Eaton Fires recovery process.

"I want to recognize the incredible work that South Coast AQMD is doing, and thank all the staff," said CARB Chair Liane Randolph. "The level of coordination, dedication and collaboration has been incredible. I really appreciate all the amazing work and all the work that's to come to understand these impacts and develop the right solutions."

CARB's ongoing LA fires recovery efforts

Beyond its air monitoring response, CARB is also supporting long-term wildfire recovery in the LA area in other ways:

• Enforcement
  • In response to concerns about the availability of portable generators to address power outages during the fires, CARB released an advisory allowing certain manufacturers to sell devices that meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards, but not CARB standards, through June 30, 2025.
  • CARB has worked with fleet managers to ensure compliance with air quality regulations while supporting expedited debris removal efforts under the Governor's emergency declaration.
• Research
  • CARB is working with the L.A. Fire HEALTH Study, which brings together expertise from multiple academic institutions.
  • CARB is directly supporting the work of researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles and UC Davis, and expanding collaboration with the LA-based NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
  • There are several wildfire smoke studies already underway at CARB, including research on structural fire emissions, health impacts, and strategies to improve indoor air quality.

"Wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change effects like rising temperatures and prolonged droughts," said CARB Air Pollution Specialist Alora Franco. "Fire risk will continue to increase, so we must lay the groundwork now to understand what toxic air containments are emitted from wildfires and the potential impacts of those emissions. We must continue to stay vigilant and prepared to ensure that we can effectively monitor air quality so we can inform the public how they can best protect themselves, not just during a wildfire, but also during the recovery phase."

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