Rachael Gaudiosi, Special to the Daily Press
It’s been more than a year since the Palisades and Eaton fires, and local nonprofit Heal the Bay is still working to build a safety protocol for beachgoers — a plan the organization says would be the first of its kind, even as wildfire risk remains high along the coast.
After the fires broke out last January, Heal the Bay told the Westside Current there was confusion over who would test the water — and what exactly would be tested — before Angelenos returned to the beach. The nonprofit said it quickly became clear there was no shared playbook, so it stepped in to help coordinate water quality testing with Los Angeles and state agencies. In the absence of ocean-specific standards, that effort relied on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) risk screening levels — benchmarks developed for air, drinking water, and soil.
“Risk screening levels are not safety thresholds,” said Tracy Quinn, President and CEO of Heal the Bay. “Without appropriate regulatory standards, we cannot definitively say the ocean is safe. We are calling on state leaders to advance legislation and policy solutions that establish clear responsibility for post-fire water sampling, standardized testing protocols, and public health benchmarks for recreational exposure to wildfire-related contaminants—so communities are better protected in future climate disasters.”
Heal the Bay says these safety standards may not be a clear answer for beachgoers because they don’t capture combined exposure to multiple contaminants or account for pre-existing health conditions and sensitive life stages such as pregnancy.
Heal the Bay also pointed to a decision it says should not be repeated. During Phase 1 debris removal, the nonprofit said California State Parks land near Topanga Creek and Lagoon was used as a staging and sorting area for hazardous materials. Heal the Bay said the EPA moved quickly after concerns were raised about the sensitive ecological site and elevated hazard levels in testing, but the episode underscored the need for clearer rules — including where emergency operations can be staged — before the next wildfire.
“These findings underscore the importance of careful planning and site selection during emergency response,” Quinn said. “We hope future wildfire responses will prioritize locations and practices that fully protect public health, waterways, and wildlife.”
At the same time, Heal the Bay says it is working on an emergency response plan with local agencies that would spell out responsibilities early and avoid the confusion that followed the Palisades and Eaton fires — for both public health and coastal habitat.
This work comes as signs of lingering wildfire impacts still show up after storms.
When Annelisa Moe, Associate Director of Science & Policy and Water Quality at Heal the Bay, went to the beach the day after Christmas, she said the water looked murkier than usual following a heavy rain.
“It’s clear there are still some impacts from the wildfires with how much is still visibly moving through the system,” Moe said. “This is not unusual, it takes about a decade for an ecosystem to fully recover from this.”
Moe added that Woolsey Fire sediment is still estimated to be in some sampling, and that some of the debris now moving through the water is likely tied to burned vegetation that once helped hold soil in place. Until that vegetation returns, she said, more sediment and mud can move downhill — leaving fewer natural barriers between land and sea.
Heal the Bay also warned that hazardous debris, including wood and twisted metal, may still be present in the surf zone, and it urged surfers and swimmers to stay cautious.
Samples have already been collected for 2026, but Heal the Bay said results can take time and are not yet back. In the meantime, the organization is advising beachgoers to keep following basic protective steps — including waiting three days after a rainstorm before swimming, washing hands, and showering after getting in the water.
Heal the Bay will also host community events this month focused on what scientists are seeing — and what remains uncertain — after the Palisades Fire. Heal the Bay is hosting an “Ash to Action Science Tent” and beach cleanup on January 17, followed by a “Community and Science Day” at the Aquarium on January 24.
The events are designed to connect residents directly with scientists for updates and to answer questions about what’s known— and what still isn’t.
Published in partnership with the Westside Current.