The following is a compilation of press materials on last week’s news that ocean water in Santa Monica is safe.
Public health officials announced last week that results from both ocean water and sand testing along the county coastline after January’s Palisades Fire showed no evidence of wildfire-related chemical levels that pose a risk to human health.
In short, Santa Monica’s beaches are now safe. Beach go-ers can lounge in the sand or enter the water.
“The ocean water and sediment/beach sand testing, which looked for metals, nutrients, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are chemicals that may be found in water runoff based on previous California wildfires, revealed no chemicals related to wildfires at levels that are dangerous to human health,” Public Health’s release stated.
However, just because the beaches are open doesn’t mean that people at the beach shouldn’t be completely vigilant. The release goes on to warm “High tides may carry fire debris into the ocean, creating hazardous conditions. In areas along the coast—particularly near burned or destroyed properties on the inland side of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH)—debris from recent fires has not yet been fully cleaned up. As the tides rise, this debris can be swept into the water, posing a danger to those in or near the ocean.”
If you’re on the beach and see debris, stay away from it. Don’t try and clean it up yourself.
For more details, you can read the full Public Health press release here.
Santa Monica Beach Maintenance continues to regularly maintain the dry sand on the beaches and handpick large pieces of wildfire debris as it washes up on the coastline. In alignment with Beaches & Harbors, Santa Monica does not scrape the dark, silty wildfire sediment from the wet beach to avoid environmental damage and continues to protect the three-acre natural dune habitat in the North Beach area.
Beachgoers are encouraged to check the ocean water conditions before visiting any beach. The latest water quality information can be found at publichealth.lacounty.gov/beach.
Find the latest information from Santa Monica on Palisades Fire regional recovery here.
