Federal cleanup after Eaton Fire meets lead standards in most tests

Federal cleanup crews completed debris removal work at properties destroyed by the Eaton Fire, and new soil testing shows most sites now meet federal lead standards. More than 4,200 soil samples were collected from 100 randomly selected destroyed properties. Officials said 95 of the 100 surface soil samples tested below the federal lead screening level.

Testing methods and results Crews collected soil from 30 locations on each property, including surface samples and samples taken six to seven inches underground. The samples were analyzed at a federal laboratory. Officials noted that some properties may still show higher lead levels from older pollution sources unrelated to the wildfire, such as industrial emissions and traffic pollution.

Next steps Homeowners whose properties exceeded federal screening levels have already been contacted and given guidance from county health officials. The findings will be discussed at the Altadena Town Council meeting on June 16.