EPA’s Eaton Fire Soil Sampling Confirms Federal Cleanup Protocols Effectively Remediated Burn Debris Contamination

98% of Eaton fire properties sampled meet federal subsurface lead standards, 95% sampled meet surface standards in excavated areas

May 19, 2026

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, C.A.– U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released Eaton Fire burn zone soil sampling results showing that the federal response to the January 2025 wildfires – the removal of burn debris and the top six inches of soil beneath burned structures by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) – was effective in reducing lead levels across fire-impacted properties. The results, based on analysis of 4,200 soil borings across 100 randomly sampled properties in the Eaton Fire area where homes were destroyed, confirmed that cleanup methods successfully addressed contamination and verified cleanup protocols; 98 of 100 properties were below the federal lead screening level for subsurface soil (6-7 inches), and 95 of 100 properties were below the federal lead screening level for surface soil (0-1 inch). The data obtained from the sampling effort will be used to inform future wildfire response efforts nationwide.

Median lead concentrations were well below the federal residential screening level of 200 mg/kg at both depths. The sampling effort was funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and conducted by EPA.

“Protecting human health and the environment is our top priority, especially in the aftermath of terrible tragedies,” said Acting EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Mike Martucci. “The Trump EPA engaged in this proactive exercise to ensure our partners have verified, science-backed EPA cleanup protocols that will inform responses to future wildfire disasters and continue to protect American communities."

EPA’s residential lead soil screening level of 200 mg/kg is a health-based threshold designed to be protective of residents, including children. The sampling confirms that federal debris removal protocols brought the vast majority of sampled properties well within that protective standard:

* mg/kg = milligrams per kilogram, equivalent to parts per million (ppm)

EPA has contacted each property owner whose results exceeded the federal screening level directly with individual results and recommended next steps from the L.A. County Department of Public Health.

Any resident with questions about their property’s safety – including those whose property was not sampled as part of this EPA effort – can access a range of resources from the L.A. County Department of Public Health, including guidance on lead exposure, blood lead testing, and free soil sampling for those in and around the Eaton and Palisades burn areas.

Sampling Study Overview: 

A 2025 study by the L.A. County Department of Public Health found lead was the only fire related contaminant of concern in soil throughout the Eaton Fire area. As this elevated lead was found specifically in the Eaton burn area and not the Palisades, EPA focused its follow-up sampling accordingly.

Sampling encompassed the footprint of the main structure that burned on each property where USACE had completed debris removal. Samples were collected at two depths, 0 to 1 inch and 6 to 7 inches below the surface, across 30 collection points per property, then combined into composite samples and analyzed by an EPA laboratory. This incremental sampling methodology produces highly reliable results.

Some property-to-property variation in lead levels is expected in post-fire environments, and the presence of lead may reflect not only potential impacts from the Eaton Fire but also past environmental releases unrelated to the fires. Emissions from industrial sources, household-specific activities, regional emissions related to vehicular traffic, and other sources all contribute to potential detections of lead in soil.

Property owners and residents seeking additional guidance are encouraged to:

• Visit L.A. County’s wildfire response website for post-fire guidance.
• Review L.A. County’s fact sheet on recommended precautions for lead in soil.
• Contact L.A. County to be screened for blood lead levels.

Learn about U.S. EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.