SANTA MONICA ‒ The playful dolphins frolicking in the clear waters along Pacific Coast Highway are about to face an unwelcome and hazardous surprise.

When the next rain arrives, mud, ash, and debris from charred canyons and hillsides ravaged by recent wildfires will cascade into ravines and flow through drainage systems directly into the ocean.

“It’s heartbreaking, absolutely heartbreaking,” noted Marjan Khonsari, a Santa Monica resident for 30 years and co-founder of Kapowui Surf Lessons. “This will dramatically alter the entire ecosystem.”

According to experts, the wildfires of the past few weeks will leave Los Angeles confronting an unprecedented environmental crisis that could persist for years, leading to harmful ash pollution in backyards and parks, increased asthma incidents, contamination of drinking water, and even a higher likelihood of dementia due to exposure to wildfire smoke particles.

Swimmers and surfers are already advised to stay out of the water, as the toxins could potentially harm water quality and marine wildlife, including dolphins.

The ruins of approximately 12,000 burned homes and businesses pose such a danger that homeowners might be prohibited from cleaning up their own properties. Based on past responses to similar, albeit smaller, wildfires, it’s likely that affected residents will need to rely on certified professionals to sift through the wreckage for valuables and prepare sites for rebuilding.

Many who can’t or choose not to rebuild will join the growing group of climate refugees displaced by disasters intensified by climate change.

In a community that prides itself on being environmentally aware and health-focused, this crisis stings particularly hard. Local coffee shops promote recycling and composting, restaurants caution patrons about the cancer risks associated with fried foods, and parking garages display warnings about the dangers of vehicle exhaust.

However, the wildfire toxins include substances like benzene, styrene, formaldehyde, and cadmium, which cannot be easily eliminated with a $16 smoothie from the nearby upscale grocery store Erewhon. A study from 2024 estimated that wildfire smoke leads to around 10,000 deaths in California each year, significantly surpassing the 4,000 traffic-related fatalities.

The Downhill Impact on Santa Monica Bay

Smoke billowed over the small mountain town of Topanga this week, located nearly 1,000 feet above the ocean. Once a beloved hippie haven, Topanga largely escaped the worst of the Palisades Fire, but flames did consume some homes and scorched the canyon linked to the Pacific Coast Highway.

Community volunteer Seth Monk, 41, expressed concern about the harm to the ocean from any debris swept down by the rain. “Any debris washed down the canyon will end up below or over the Pacific Coast Highway, straight into Santa Monica Bay,” he warned. During the peak of the fire, he described the scene as resembling an erupting volcano.

“So much of the landscape and wildlife has been destroyed,” noted Monk, a meditation instructor. “All that’s just going to wash into the ocean.”

Topanga Canyon has a history of mudslides and rockfalls. After a particularly heavy rain last summer, the road through the canyon was closed for months due to rock slides, forcing residents to take long detours to access Santa Monica. Following the Palisades Fire, rocks once again began to fall onto the roadway, obstructing traffic in several areas.

“We’re expecting rain soon, and it’s going to be catastrophic,” warned Khonsari. “Once it rains, everything is going to wash into the ocean.”

Kitchen Asbestos Reduced to Dust, Cars Reduced to Frames

The absence of rain this winter contributed significantly to the rapid escalation of the Palisades Fire. After several years of wet winters that encouraged growth, the lack of rain left the vegetation dry and vulnerable.

Beverley Auerbach and her husband, long-time residents of Pacific Palisades, have witnessed many fires over the years. However, when they received evacuation alerts, they quickly packed their car and fled toward Santa Monica.

Normally, it takes about six minutes to drive the 1.5 miles from their home in the Palisades to Temescal Canyon. This time, it took Auerbach 45 minutes. She considers herself fortunate, as many neighbors who delayed their exit ended up abandoning their vehicles in a traffic jam and running for safety as flames approached.

Across Palisades, cars are left as burned-out shells on melted tires, their aluminum engine parts pooling onto the ground. Electric vehicles, with their batteries containing rare earth elements, have been reduced to mere frames.

Auerbach’s home is among hundreds destroyed, along with those of 30 of her friends in the Alphabets neighborhood. She mentioned that they had all discussed ways to lead more environmentally friendly lives, adopting electric cars and installing solar panels, while being mindful of water usage.

Despite the devastation, she is hesitant to return to the area: back in the 1990s, she and her husband removed the asbestos tiles from their kitchen, but many neighbors had not. Considering the contamination, she pondered the cleanup process: “It’s filled with plastic, asbestos, and all sorts of hazardous materials.”

Residents Confront ‘Highly Toxic’ Cleanup

Officials haven’t communicated when residents of the Palisades and other affected regions can return, primarily as they are still establishing protocols to handle the influx of grieving individuals in hazardous areas.

To safeguard public health, authorities have already prohibited the use of leaf blowers for ash cleanup due to inhalation risks and recommended that those returning home use damp cloths and mops for cleaning surfaces and floors instead of vacuums.

“The dust and ash blown by the wind can aggravate existing health issues or cause irritation, especially in vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, pregnant individuals, and those with heart or lung disorders,” the Los Angeles County Public Health Department warned.

Those whose homes survived are eager to return to their properties, belongings, and daily lives. In contrast, those who lost their homes are desperate to search through debris in hopes of recovering cherished items, like jewelry or sentimental artwork.

An expert advised YSL News that residents should view their neighborhoods as hazardous “burn pits” similar to those once used by the military to dispose of waste. Another expert counseled against touching any remnants of their homes.

“Residents should absolutely avoid sifting through the debris,” cautioned Katie Arrington, an environmental cleanup professional who has been assisting with the recovery from a 2021 wildfire in suburban Denver that destroyed around 1,000 homes. “It’s extremely toxic debris, compounded by the mixture of materials and the effects of fire.” It’s not Just your home, but also your neighbors’ properties, including your vehicle parked in the driveway.

Arrington, who is part of Boulder County’s Recovery and Resiliency Division, explained that the process of clearing debris from the homes that were destroyed in the 2021 Marshall Fire took six months and necessitated the skills of contractors qualified to handle hazardous waste.

In many instances, she noted, workers needed to excavate at least three inches of soil from yards to lower the ash and toxic contaminant levels to acceptable standards. This cleanup effort, which cost between $40,000 to $60,000 per residence, was financed through a mix of homeowners’ insurance and federal, state, and local grants.

“This is going to be essential for anyone looking to rebuild, as well as for the safety of animals, children, and future generations,” Arrington emphasized.

‘Toxic substances spread across Los Angeles’

Experts assert that the intensity of wildfires throughout the United States, particularly in the western region, has been increasing as a result of climate change. The risk level has also risen in areas known as the wildland-urban interface, putting an increasing number of homes at risk.

While scientists are well aware of the issues caused by smoke from wildfires burning vegetation, there is still a lack of extensive research on the impacts of significant urban fires.

Luke Montrose, an environmental toxicologist and assistant professor studying the effects of wildfire smoke on communities, pointed out that wildland firefighters endure numerous health hazards ‒ very few use respirators or N-95 masks even in the densest smoke ‒ and he is concerned about the dangers posed to residents when wildfires consume entire neighborhoods.

In a study involving Montanans exposed to wildfire smoke for six weeks in 2017, it was found that their lung functioning remained impaired for at least two years after exposure, which involved smoke solely from burning trees, not from homes, vehicles, or stores.

“Generally speaking, this situation resembles exposure from burn pits more than from forest fires,” he stated regarding the Palisades and Eaton fires. “It’s essentially just a mass of waste that is burning, and when fire spreads through homes, vehicles, and trees, it releases a wider range of toxic substances… This includes heavy metals like lead as well as materials from buildings, foams, plastics, carpets, and asphalt.”

David Michaels, a former head of the federal workplace safety organization OSHA, mentioned that authorities face challenging choices in the upcoming days, weeks, and months. Although scientists acknowledge that the debris is hazardous, and that the ash covering intact homes is also toxic, residents are in urgent need of returning to their homes, he stated.

“This ash is laced with a multitude of toxic chemicals, dispersed all over Los Angeles, including children’s playgrounds and backyards. Young bodies are particularly vulnerable,” Michaels remarked, now a professor at George Washington University School of Public Health and a commissioner with the National Commission on Climate and Workforce Health.

Michaels argued that the United States must confront both the dangers and the underlying causes of these urban fire disasters. Employers need to recognize that workers cannot be compelled to return to jobs due to such high health threats, and society must acknowledge the truth that climate change is exacerbating the severity of such blazes.

“We haven’t yet acknowledged this as a national issue in the United States, but it’s imperative to do so. Many residents across the nation are experiencing disruptions and adverse effects from the climate crisis, and we have a duty to support them,” he asserted. “The consequences, especially for children, will be significant.”

Marine life in jeopardy

In Santa Monica, the clear waters that attract surfers, swimmers, and fishermen symbolize years of dedicated efforts by organizations like Heal the Bay to curb pollution and runoff. Over the past several decades, marine ecosystems have thrived. Dolphins, once a rare sight, now frequently swim alongside surfers riding the Pacific’s waves onto the coastline’s expansive sandy beaches.

Marine specialists express concern that toxic runoff can lead to both immediate and long-lasting harm to the fish and other aquatic organisms living in the bay. The overall level of damage will heavily depend on the volume of runoff.

Environmental advocates are also apprehensive about the effects of Governor Gavin Newsom’s temporary suspension of certain coastal environmental regulations meant to expedite recovery and rebuilding.

Khonsari, a surf shop owner, mentioned that she has had to cancel numerous lessons, opting to keep her instructors on land to avoid potential eye infections or more severe health issues from polluted waters. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, she had hoped for a prosperous 2025.

And then the Palisades fire occurred.

“Things were progressing so positively, and it will be truly heartbreaking to witness the impact on marine life,” she lamented. “We are expecting some rain, and it is going to create a serious problem.”

(This story has been updated to correct a typo.)