For this data brief, UCLA researchers measured the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor and outdoor air at 16 locations near the Palisades fire and 9 locations near the Eaton fire. The measurements were taken over the course of 7-day periods, in 3 different phases:
- Phase 1 (January 8-15) – Active Burning
- Phase 2 (January 24-31) – Smoldering
- Phase 3 (February 11-18) – Off-gassing
Key Takeaways:
- Outdoor VOC levels during the Eaton and Palisades fires were elevated, but generally remained well below CA and EPA thresholds for exposure.
- Staying indoors during active wildfires can help to protect people from increases in outdoor VOCs.
- Indoor VOC levels remained higher than outdoors in the days and weeks after the fires, likely due to smoke-impacted soft materials (fabrics, furniture, etc. that absorbed smoke during the fires) off-gassing VOCs.
- We recommend ventilating homes and using HEPA and activated charcoal air purifiers before reoccupying fire-affected residences.