Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials are maintaining their stance against conducting soil testing following debris cleanup from the Los Angeles County wildfires, despite growing criticism from survivors and California officials.
FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plan to remove toxic wildfire ash, rubble, and a 6-inch layer of topsoil from affected properties. However, they will not perform follow-up soil testing to verify the absence of contamination - breaking from a practice that has been standard in California since 2007.
FEMA Region 9 spokesperson Brandi Richard Thompson defended the decision, stating their cleanup approach follows "scientific best practices and FEMA's longstanding policies." The agency claims contamination deeper than 6 inches is unlikely to be fire-related and poses no immediate health risks.
This position contradicts FEMA's own recent actions - just two years ago, the agency funded soil testing after the 2023 Maui wildfires. Officials explain this discrepancy by citing less historical wildfire data in Hawaii compared to California.
The decision has sparked opposition from elected officials, including Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks), who has urged FEMA to reconsider. "Their standard answer is, 'Well, we're doing such a great job on debris removal, we're sure it's going to be safe,'" Sherman said. "But people deserve to have testing."
Some wildfire survivors are now considering opting out of the federal cleanup program. Kenneth Ehrlich, who lost his Pacific Palisades home, expressed concerns about rebuilding on potentially contaminated land. "You've got to give people back a safe pad that they can develop and live on and not get sick. That's not happening right now," he stated.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers acknowledges the concerns but notes they must follow FEMA directives that explicitly prohibit testing and additional soil removal if contamination persists.
Local officials worry that recent rainfall may drive contaminants deeper into the soil, creating long-term exposure risks. The wildfire ash likely contains hazardous substances including lead and arsenic, raising public health concerns about the adequacy of the current cleanup approach.