Pasadena health officer: Air quality threat from fires subsides

The immediate threat to human health from wildfire smoke and debris has subsided, Acting Pasadena Public Health Officer Parveen Kaur said Monday.

The latest amendment to the Pasadena Public Health Department’s emergency declaration regarding the deadly, destructive Eaton Fire was based on local environmental testing results announced by the city Feb. 19 and mobile air monitoring on Jan. 31 by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. One more air monitoring test is planned for the Eaton Fire area, according to air regulators. The date of the planned test was not provided.

Kaur remained cautious and said more testing was needed.

“Based on air monitoring and city facility testing data, the Pasadena Public Health Department is updating the local health emergency declaration to reflect priorities posed by current conditions,” Kaur said in a statement. “More environmental data is needed and if necessary, we will issue additional guidance to protect public health.”

The Jan. 31 air test showed no elevated levels of heavy metals such as lead, arsenic or benzene. Heavy metals “were within background levels and below national standards and state health thresholds,” the AQMD reported.

Some elevated levels of methane were detected in Altadena. Air regulators said the increased methane could possibly be from gas leaks, and utility agencies were notified for further investigation.

Asbestos was not found, and all lead measurements at nine city facilities were below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “dust lead action level” of 5 micrograms of lead per square foot — a strict standard established to protect children in homes and care centers, Pasadena health officials said.

The city’s emergency health declaration will continue to focus on:

• “reducing potential risk of exposure to environmental contaminants that may be present in ash and particulate matter caused by the wildfire conditions;
• “ensure safe removal of toxic substances and debris from private properties that pose a substantial present and potential hazard to human health and safety and to the environment unless managed properly” such as lithium batteries, paint and other toxic materials; and
• “position the city of Pasadena to access state and federal funding and other resources that support local efforts to protect public health,” according to the health department.

The AQMD has established two monitoring stations, one in the Eaton Fire area and another for the Palisades Fire zone. The air monitors collect and report hourly air quality updates on the agency’s website. The information helps officials evaluate air quality near staging areas, truck activity and other areas affected by cleanup activities.

Test results from Pasadena facilities are available for viewing on an online map.

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