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Smoke from LA fires exposed millions of people to high levels of toxic heavy metals, study says
Researchers found urban fire smoke carried far more lead than wildfire smoke, with about 7 million people exposed for 24 hours.
- A new study published in Science Advances found smoke from the 2025 Los Angeles Eaton Fire exposed about 7 million people to lead levels 80 times typical background levels during a 24-hour peak.
- California Institute of Technology researchers found the urban plume contained 50 times more lead than vegetation-only smoke, as the fire destroyed more than 16,000 structures releasing chemicals from paints and electronics.
- Scientists utilized the Atmospheric Science and Chemistry mEasurement NeTwork to analyze smoke composition hourly, distinguishing emissions from burning structures like electronics and plastics during the fire's course.
- Keck School of Medicine professor Ed Avol called the findings "surprising" and a reminder of a "strange and increasingly dangerous new world" where urban and wildland areas intersect and catch fire.
- Experts urge policymakers to adapt emergency responses and monitoring as climate change pushes more intense fires into populated urban areas, posing unique health risks requiring stronger wildfire prevention strategies.
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23 Articles
23 Articles
A California wildfire in January 2025 created toxic smoke that blanketed 7 million people. A Caltech study found lead concentrations 80 times higher than normal from burning homes and vehicles.
·Zagreb, Croatia
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Smoke from LA fires exposed millions of people to high levels of toxic heavy metals, study says – WTOP News
LOS ANGELES (AP) — At the height of the Los Angeles fires in 2025, millions of residents were exposed in a 24-hour period to toxic lead levels from smoke that w
·Chevy Chase, United States
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Smoke from LA fires exposed millions of people to high levels of toxic
LOS ANGELES (AP) — At the height of the Los Angeles fires in 2025, millions of residents were exposed in a 24-hour period to toxic lead levels from smoke that were 80 times higher than the typical
·Baltimore, United States
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Total News Sources23
Leaning Left10Leaning Right1Center12Last UpdatedBias Distribution52% Center
Bias Distribution
- 52% of the sources are Center
52% Center
L 44%
C 52%
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