At the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, still shrouded in smoke, Altadena looks like a city under siege. Amid the ruins of the city center gutted by the Eaton Fire on January 7, members of the National Guard in khaki uniforms installed filter barriers. Armored trucks are slowly letting in residents authorized for the first time to come and inspect the damage that the passage of flames has caused to their homes, east of Los Angeles.
“I advise you to equip yourself before entering”says a soldier, pointing to a stand run by the county health services. Behind their duck-billed masks, employees distribute protective kits to motorists preparing to enter the disaster zone: each bag contains a waterproof suit, safety glasses, a filter mask and a pair of thick gloves .
“People will be tempted to dig through the ruins to recover objects. And those whose houses have survived will start cleaning up. We want to make sure they are protected as much as possible, because the ashes contain toxic substances from the materials that burned.”explains Aaron, who hesitates to reveal his identity, explaining that he is not authorized to speak to the press.
Asbestos and lead particles
Charred car wrecks, remains of electronic devices and electric batteries, building materials reduced to ashes… The fire leaves behind a carpet of volatile dust suspected of containing heavy metals. In this small community founded at the end of the 19th century, most of the houses were old and contained asbestos and lead paint.
Fifteen days after the devastating fire that killed 17 people and charred more than 7,000 structures, “the air is still heavy”Aaron notes. “I have trouble breathing, even with a mask. »
The return of Santa Ana winds on Monday, January 20 is an additional source of concern. “There is a red alert again: this means that the winds continue to spread ash throughout the neighborhood”explains Allegra Cira Fischer, a lawyer and mother of two young children, who was able to return to inspect her house, which was still intact. “The authorities recommend not staying outside for too long or even at home for the moment. But some residents decided to return to live in the neighborhood despite everything”she notes.
-At Allegra, as with some residents whose house did not burn, the smoke also caused damage inside. “Our furniture will have to be taken away by a company to be decontaminated”she explains. Ashes have seeped through the attic. All insulation should be replaced and the ventilation system closely inspected.
“Cumulative effect”
Professor of civil engineering at the University of Southern California (USC), Costas Synolakis came to take samples from the soil to analyze the substances present. “We must act quickly to be able to assess the seriousness of the health situation, he explains. Cleaning operations have already started and very quickly, a lot of information will be lost. »
“The fine particles emitted are capable of penetrating deep into the lungs and blood circulation”notes Char Miller, professor of environmental analysis at Pomona College. “With warming and the increase in fires, the population is increasingly exposed,” sometimes over long distances, he specifies. A “cumulative effect” which promotes the development of asthma, lung diseases and cancers.
If the death toll from the Los Angeles fires rises to 28 deaths, the number of victims could in the long term be much higher. Carlos Gould, an environmental health researcher at the University of California at San Diego, recently estimated that these fires could have increased daily mortality between 5 and 15%.
