Palisades Fire debris washing up on Santa Monica beaches

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - If you've been to Santa Monica Beach, you've probably seen the piles of charred debris from recent fires still on the beach. We also see quite a few people on the sand, even dipping their feet in the water, despite public health advisories. The question is, when will the beach debris be removed?

Different beaches usually have different jurisdictions when it comes to cleanups, but back on February 4, LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath introduced a motion to take "immediate action to clean fire debris from county beaches." 

Some cleanup has occurred near the worst fire burn areas off PCH, but as you get close to Santa Monica Beach, the amount of debris increases. The agencies that would usually organize cleanups in these areas, like Heal the Bay, are stopping all cleanups until they see more testing from the Department of Health.

Their preliminary testing results for contaminants at two sites, Will Rogers State Beach and Topanga Beach, on Feb. 2, found "metals likely representative of background levels and no asbestos, not detected or extremely limited to minor concentrations."

The Los Angeles County Public Health issued the following statement to elaborate on the lab results they gathered from the local beaches:

"Public Works provided the Department of Public Health and other County and State agencies with preliminary lab results from sediment sampling at Will Rogers State Beach and Topanga Beach on Feb. 2, 2025. The sampling aimed to determine if the debris was considered hazardous waste for disposal.

 Preliminary testing results for contaminants—including metals, petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated pesticides, PCBs, volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, and asbestos—were below levels that would characterize the debris as hazardous waste. The initial results found "metals likely representative of background levels" and no asbestos. Other analytes were "not detected or extremely limited to minor concentrations."

 As mentioned in the news release, both water and sediment testing will continue.

 An ocean water quality advisory due to fire impacts remains in effect from Las Flores State Beach through a portion of Santa Monica State Beach until further notice. Public Health advises people to avoid the water covered by the advisory. Public Health also asks people to avoid visible fire debris."

Their advisories recommend people stay away from the water and the debris, but Heal the Bay's advisory goes beyond that, asking people to stay "away from the sand."

"I come out here every day," says Fabian Lewkowicz, with Santa Monica Closeup. He's been documenting the fire's aftermath from the perspective of a Santa Monica resident who is also a photojournalist but has yet to be able to document a major beach cleanup.

Heal the Bay issued the following statement in response to the debris popping up on the beaches. The group revealed they'll hold up their cleanups until more test results get released.:

"On Monday, February 24, 2025, Heal the Bay learned that the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) had stated beachgoers may recreate on the sand in the fire-impacted areas. 

We also learned that this determination is likely based on only two debris samples taken by Los Angeles County Public Works, one at Topanga Creek and the other at Will Rogers State Beach. These samples were collected to determine the disposal method required to remove the debris, not to determine if it is safe for people to be on the sand. It is alarming that DPH would make this proclamation based on only two data points. 

While preliminary debris and ocean water quality testing have not shown elevated levels of harmful contaminants attributed to burned household items, the sample size for both water and sand thus far is quite small. 

At this time, we simply do not have enough information to determine if the sand or water at beaches where debris is present is safe for recreation. Furthermore, dangerous debris such as nails, screws, and pipes continue to wash up on shore, often concealed in sand or near-shore waves, increasing the risk to people playing on our beaches. 

This is an unprecedented event, and we must wait for the results of additional testing before declaring our beaches safe. We ask for increased transparency from the LA County Department of Public Health."