(Los Angeles) – The recent Palisades and Eaton wildfires in Los Angeles County have not only devastated homes and landscapes but may also pose a serious threat to marine life in the Pacific Ocean. Scientists are investigating how toxic ash from the fires, which spread more than 100 miles offshore, could affect the marine ecosystem.
Researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and NOAA are gathering water samples to determine the impact of the ash. Aboard the NOAAS Reuben Lasker, they are assessing toxin levels in the water, as the wildfires consumed over 17,000 structures, releasing chemicals and metals in addition to natural debris like trees and brush.
Research Initiative | Key Details |
---|---|
Organization | Scripps Institution of Oceanography & NOAA |
Research Vessel | NOAAS Reuben Lasker |
Study Focus | Toxin levels in ocean water |
Affected Area | 100 miles offshore in the Pacific Ocean |
Nicolas Concha-Saiz, NOAA Fisheries’ chief scientist for the study, emphasized the urgency of understanding how this event could impact West Coast fisheries and the broader food web.
Ash samples are being collected using a Manta plankton net, which gathers material from the ocean’s top six inches. Initially, the ash floats but quickly sinks, dispersing deeper into the water. Researchers are analyzing layers beneath 100 meters (330 feet) to observe how toxins spread and interact with the marine ecosystem.
Julie Dinasquet, the project leader from Scripps Oceanography, warned that the vast amount of toxic material introduced by the fires could significantly affect both human and environmental health. Unlike previous wildfires, such as the 2020 Lightning Fires in Monterey Bay, which fertilized certain algae species, the urban ash from these Los Angeles fires is expected to have far more harmful effects.
Scripps PhD student Dante Capone pointed out that the unique composition of burned materials—heavily influenced by human infrastructure rather than just natural vegetation—makes this event especially concerning. Scientists are now working to determine how the pollutants will alter marine chemistry and food chains in the region.
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