Elevated Environmental Lead Concentrations Following a Major Urban Fire

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide The Eaton Canyon firestorm burned thousands of acres of urban land, devastating local communities and destroying nearly 20,000 structures. Measurements of roadside dust, stormwater runoff, and atmospheric aerosols show that this fire was a source of lead (Pb) into the urban environment. Lead concentrations in roadside dust within the urban burn scar were significantly elevated immediately after the fire, remaining high through repeat rainfall events but decreasing over the course of subsequent months. During active structure fires, high aerosol lead was observed in the smoke plume. Lead in roadside rainwater was elevated in the urban burn area after the first rain. The source of lead in all cases is likely burning structures, which contained lead in paint and plumbing, resulting in widespread urban lead concentrations in excess of healthy thresholds set by regulators.