Pasadena Schools Address Elevated Lead Levels Following Eaton Canyon Fire

The Pasadena Unified School District is implementing additional safety measures after soil tests revealed elevated lead levels near some schools following the recent Eaton Canyon Fire, Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco announced Sunday.

In a letter to the school community, Blanco said the District learned Friday evening that Los Angeles County Department of Public Health soil sampling detected high lead concentrations at locations near several District schools.

“We are working with the Pasadena Public Health Department, which is analyzing the results and developing guidance for schools,” Blanco wrote. “We are also urgently seeking similar guidelines from the County for schools outside of Pasadena.”

The District has contracted with an environmental consultant to conduct soil sampling at campuses potentially affected by windborne ash and debris from the fire. Blanco stated that Pasadena Unified School District will “replicate sampling conducted at residences by the LA County Department of Public Health.”

No schools will close at this time, according to Blanco, though the District may adjust outdoor activities based on public health guidance. Potential remediation efforts could include “further testing, additional cleaning, and implementing temporary measures to protect the health and safety of everyone in our school communities,” she wrote.

“We took proactive steps to make sure our campuses are safe and ready for students and staff,” Blanco wrote. She added, “We worked closely with local and state agencies and followed expert recommendations to guide our approach.”

Blanco wrote that the District is also “in communication with public and state health officials to develop plans for soil testing, as part of our ongoing commitment to safety.”

The Superintendent noted that other California school districts face similar challenges.

“We know we’re not alone. Other school districts across California are navigating similar situations,” she wrote, calling for state and County partners to establish “clear, consistent guidelines to help school communities statewide move forward with confidence.”

Preliminary findings from the soil tests are available on the Public Health Post-Fire Assessment page under the “Outdoor Soil — Yards” and “Outdoor Soil — Ash/Soot” sections.

“The safety of our students and staff remains our top priority,” Blanco concluded in her letter.