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EPA Tests Show Most Eaton Fire Cleanup Sites Below Lead Limits
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tested soil at 100 properties cleared after the Eaton Fire and found most below federal and state lead screening levels. One outside scientist questioned whether the sampling method captured localized contamination.
May 21, 8:00 AM·1m read1 source
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tested soil from 100 properties selected at random in the Eaton Fire cleanup zone and found that 95 of the lots met federal screening standards for lead. The Eaton Fire destroyed 9,400 homes and structures in the Altadena area in January 2025.
The agency reported a median lead concentration of 31 milligrams per kilogram in surface soil, below both the California limit of 80 mg/kg and the federal limit of 200 mg/kg.
The EPA collected soil samples at two depths from 30 locations within the ash footprint at each property and combined them into composite samples. Five surface samples exceeded federal standards, with one averaging 705 mg/kg. Michael Montgomery, director of the EPA Region 9 Superfund and Emergency Management Division, said the results indicate the Army Corps removed ash, debris, and underlying soil to an adequate level.
Whelton, a professor at Purdue University, said the composite sampling method averages results across multiple locations and may miss localized hot spots of contamination. He noted the testing covered only areas where the Army Corps performed debris removal. The Army Corps cleared debris from about two-thirds of the burned homes but did not conduct soil testing before or after the work.
