By: Annie Cushman, US Environmental Policy Student

Though beneficial to Southern California by aiding in seed dispersal and maintaining a healthy environment, the recent events of the Los Angeles Wildfires represent an unprecedented environmental disaster exacerbated by climate change. The Santa Ana winds characterize the fire regime of the Mediterranean climate by challenging the typical coast to inland direction of wind course. Originating in the Great Basin, these “devil winds” start as dry and high pressure, but begin to compress when funneled through the mountains producing low humidity, high temperatures, extreme gale force winds — the ideal conditions for fire ignition^[1]. With the increasing vulnerability of communities, Los Angeles must enact a community wildfire protection plan that imposes stricter WUI codes for regions in high fire hazard regions and strategically redevelop areas impacted by wildfire to create resilient communities.

On January 7th, 2025, unusually strong Santa Ana winds ignited multiple fires in the Los Angeles area which ultimately destroyed more than 12,000 structures. The two largest fires, Pacific Palisades and Altadena, scorched over 23,713 acres and 14,117 acres, respectively^[2].

Across the United States, nearly 100 million people (about a third of the U.S. population) live in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) where human development meets undeveloped wildland^[3]. Of these at-risk properties, California accounts for 50%; in the state’s fire-history, 80+% of wildfire structure loss occurred in WUI regions. In Los Angeles over the past 30 years, homes in the WUI have expanded from 5.9 to 6.9 million. As a result, the recent wildfires spread more quickly from the natural environment to developed communities, ripping through entire neighborhoods with gusts up to 80 mph. Beyond natural vegetation, the fires burned electronics, cars, batteries, and plastic pipes, all leaving behind toxic chemical ash residue. Vessels in the Pacific Ocean documented ash up to 60 miles offshore, demonstrating the far-reaching scale of environmental impact^[4]. Even once the flames were put out, recent rains triggered mudslides flushing nine months of pollution and debris plus post-fire remnants straight into the ocean.

The accumulation of toxic metals, PCBs, PFAS, microplastics, asbestos, and other forever chemicals will certainly lead to environmental consequences, but the exact magnitude is unknown^[5]. As an example, products of combustion and smoldering include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH’s) which not only persist in the environment, but accumulate in tissues of marine species due to phototoxic and photooxidation properties that cause cell damage and developmental deformities^[6]. These concentrations biomagnify extending the carcinogenic effects and disruptions of reproductive systems throughout the entire food chain.

Unlike some species that may relocate to evade the toxic conditions, kelp forests provide indication of environmental damage. They define marine ecosystems in the Santa Monica Bay as some of the most productive and diverse ecosystems essential for carbon sequestration and for commercial fisheries by providing habitat^[7]. The influx of ash and debris coating the beds chokes the kelp growth through reduced light, algal growth and physical burial. After the Woolsey Fire in 2018, studies monitored the aquatic system over time finding that the forest was reduced to bare sand and rocks^[8]. Rising temperatures already strain the survival tolerance of the kelp, and the increased chemical contaminants pose great concern for vital ecosystem services the greater Southern California region depends on.

In terms of effects that may not be reversible, the product of ash mixing with water, called lye, has the potential to critically alter the pH of the ocean. These chemical imbalances often result in algal blooms that cause “dead zones” – regions lacking oxygen. Ultimately, dead zones lead to unlivable conditions for most marine life.

The immediate consequences of the recent fires are irreversible, but Los Angeles must use these events as an opportunity to improve fire deterrence and reduce environmental impact for future fires of increased frequency and magnitude. Los Angeles is in the process of adopting a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) that would provide guidance to elected officials, business owners, and citizens by consolidating methods to create fire-resistant neighborhoods, not just fire resistant homes as currently outlined in the WUI code^[9].

Instead of limiting housing development, the plan encourages smarter design for mitigation, preparation, and response in the event of a future wildfire. Through landscape planning, separation from wildfire source, and protective infrastructure, communities can redevelop effectively with investment in long term risk reduction measures (RRM’s)^[10].

Under the category of landscape planning, redevelopment processes should include fire professionals, such as through Local Agency Formation Commissions (LAFCos), to ensure input from experts^[11]. Additionally, CAL FIRE fire hazard severity zones must utilize advancing technology to better define risk regions, aiding in concentrating new development in low-risk regions. Features that serve as buffers including agricultural land, water bodies, and parking lots must be protected against potential rezoning for their role in slowing flames. As an example of failure to take advantage of existing buffers, certain regions in Santa Barbara are at increased wildfire risk due to a substantial amount of agricultural land replaced with more-flammable orchards.

In terms of separation from wildfire source, urban development should be clustered and surrounded by a ring of non-flammable amenities, such as well-irrigated golf courses, to maximize defensible space for firefighters. For this to truly work, clustered structures must incorporate best-fire resistant practices to prevent intra-flame jumping in close proximity. Despite high property value, developers should avoid building on slopes due to the risk of long hot flames traveling uphill. If not feasible, homes redeveloped should maintain at least a 30 foot distance setback from the slope and also clear downhill vegetation. To reduce the perimeter-area ratio of communities, homes should redevelop on the interior of perimeter roads to again maximize defensible space and use roads as a fire break^[12].

Within protective infrastructure, new plans should require developments to place power lines underground to lower the risk of utility ignited fires. The current code does not specifically require this measure for developments rebuilt after wildfire. To increase a home’s potential of surviving a fire, the WUI code must require exterior sprinklers and interior sprinklers. Given that many fire hydrants were empty when the fires broke out, on-site water storage in the form of fire protection water tanks should be required in redevelopment. Not only does this provide water resources to defend against wildfires, but it standardizes hose fittings for firefighters to access and utilize tanks^[13].

Considering the presence of impervious surfaces like asphalt and cement in urban areas, action must be taken to address runoff effectively and prevent raw debris from flowing into the ocean. In addition to preventative measures, communities should prioritize wetland restoration to mitigate the environmental damage of wildfires due to their ability to trap sediments and absorb nutrients. This natural approach will protect marine life while putting less strain on the environment.

Though many residents are eager to rebuild as quickly and cheaply as possible, incentives must be introduced to encourage fire-resistant urban planning and support for a fire protection plan^[14].

Despite the devastating outcomes of the recent fires, this disaster provides the opportunity for Los Angeles to improve its urban interaction with natural spaces, to further study the impacts of contaminants on marine life, to raise awareness of amplified climate-change events, and to serve as a model for other communities to follow in wildfire resilience.

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^[1] Coleman, L. W., & DeFrancesco, M. (2025, January 30). Examining the environmental impacts of the La fires. EHS Daily Advisor. https://ehsdailyadvisor.blr.com/2025/02/examining-the-environmental-impacts-of-the-la-fires/

^[2] Team, V. J. (2025, January 15). La fires in maps: Where are they and how bad is the damage?. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg525q2ggl4o

^[3] Green, J. (2023, November 16). How fire-prone communities can reduce their risk. THE DIRT. https://dirt.asla.org/2023/11/14/how-fire-prone-communities-can-reduce-their-risk/

^[4] Purtill, C., &  Xia, R. (2025, January 29). L.A. fires wreaked havoc on the land. scientists are racing to learn what they’ve done to the sea. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2025-01-29/scientists-have-been-testing-ocean-waters-for-decades-theyve-never-seen-it-like-this

^[5] Saey, T. H. (2025, February 21). Toxic dangers lurk in LA, even in homes that didn’t burn. Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/toxic-danger-lurk-burn-los-angeles-fire

^[6] Grable, J. (2025, January 26). Along with devastation, La fires bring health hazards in smoke and ash. Sierra Club. https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/la-fires-eaton-palisades-health-hazards-smoke-and-ash

^[7] Kelp Forest Restoration Project. The Bay Foundation. (n.d.). https://www.santamonicabay.org/what-we-do/projects/kelp-forest-restoration-project/

^[8] Jacoby, E. (2025, February 1). Malibu’s Ocean Life isn’t safe from fire, and the worst effects are yet to come. LAist. https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/malibu-fire-impacts-ocean-life

^[9] (ICC), I. C. C. (n.d.). Chapter 49 requirements for Wildland Urban Interface Fire Areas – 2023 city of Los Angeles fire code – full code. https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/CACLAFC2023P1/chapter-49-requirements-for-wildland-urban-interface-fire-areas#CACLAFC2023P1_Pt04_Ch49_Sec4907

^[10] INTRODUCING THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN. Los Angeles Regional Fire Safe Council. (2024, December). https://www.wildfirela.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/121924-ExecutiveSummaryV4.pdf

^[11] Moritz, M., & Butsic, V. (2020). Building to Coexist with Fire: Community Risk Reduction Measures for New Development in California. https://doi.org/10.3733/ucanr.8680

^[12] Land Use Planning. Wildfire Risk to Communities. (2024, April 2). https://wildfirerisk.org/reduce-risk/land-use-planning/

^[13] Kimelman, J. (2025, January 28). The LA County fires devastated homes in the wildland urban interface. here’s what that is . CalMatters. https://calmatters.org/environment/wildfires/2025/01/la-county-fires-wildland-urban-interface/

^[14] Governor Newsom Signs executive order to help Los Angeles rebuild faster and stronger. Governor Newsom Signs Executive Order To Help Los Angeles Rebuild Faster And Stronger | California Department of Housing and Community Development. (2025, January 13). https://www.hcd.ca.gov/about-hcd/newsroom/governor-newsom-signs-executive-order-to-help-los-angeles-rebuild-faster-and-stronger