Since January 2025, the research team has worked directly with households and business owners to help them respond to and recover from the Eaton and Palisades Fires. Members of the research team have been involved in numerous projects, some of which are detailed below:

• Created guidance for post-fire contamination 

  • For homeowners and the public: see this environmental testing guide for post-fire contamination in buildings. 

  • Developed a residential soil testing document for the State of California.

• Conducted the Recovery Efforts by Uniting Individuals, Listening, and Discovery (REBUILD) survey

  • Focusing on household experiences with post-wildfire experiences including evacuation, housing, environmental testing, chemical exposures, insurance, and rebuilding.

  • See the summary report here.  

• Delivered public webinars, presentations, and talks

  • Read about specific presentations here. 

  • Webinar series: After the Fires

• Conducted environmental testing and studies

  • Ash and Soil History Evaluation Study (ASHES) to understand post-fire contaminant levels in ash and soil and how to restore properties to safe levels.

  • Health-Based Environmental Assessment and Re-Occupancy Testing (HEART) Study to identify evidence-based practices for restoring properties to be safely remediated.

• Met with community members and stakeholders to

  • Uncover ongoing problems with post-wildfire assessment protocols. 

  • Help them navigate testing and remediation decisions.

This previous work has been funded by private foundations, private donations, and volunteer efforts of students, faculty, and staff at our respective institutions.