Since the June 17 Palos Fire at a cold storage
warehouse in Boyle Heights, South Coast AQMD
has been working around the clock to help protect
public health through specialized air monitoring, public
advisories, community outreach, and expanded assistance
for residents affected by smoke and persistent odors.
During the fire, South Coast AQMD deployed its
specialized mobile air monitoring equipment beginning on
June 17 to assess smoke and air quality impacts associated
with the fire. Based on those monitoring results, the agency
installed continuous particulate matter (PM2.5) monitors in
the area to provide ongoing measurements.
South Coast AQMD staff also conducted air quality
monitoring and smoke plume modeling throughout the
incident to track changing conditions. In response to the
smoke impacts, South Coast AQMD issued a particle
pollution advisory on June 17 and extended it for several
days until June 24, while firefighting and smoldering
conditions continued.
The agency also deployed its specialized mobile air
monitoring equipment on June 17 and 18 to assess smoke
and air quality impacts associated with the fire. These
measurements were conducted under Incident Command
with Los Angeles Fire Department and in collaboration
with Los Angeles County Hazmat and U.S. EPA. South
Coast AQMD then installed monitors at Eastman Avenue
Elementary and Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School to
provide ongoing measurements in the communities most
affected by the smoke. Continuous PM2.5 monitoring is
being conducted at these two sites, as well as continuous
hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and methane (CH4) at Eastman
Supporting Boyle Heights During
5
Ave Elementary school. Data is collected hourly and
provides near-real-time concentration levels.
To provide the public with access to air monitoring data,
South Coast AQMD launched a dedicated webpage that
includes results of its mobile monitoring as well as an
online dashboard displaying the near-real-time PM2.5
measurements from the temporary monitoring sites, along
with information from the agency’s regional air monitoring
network and local air sensors.
South Coast AQMD continues providing active technical
oversight of the third-party contractor who is conducting
community air monitoring during the cleanup phase to
ensure the monitoring is scientifically sound and responsive
to community and health concerns. South Coast AQMD
has been working with Los Angeles County Department
of Public Health to improve public understanding and
communication about the contractor’s air monitoring
data. To provide an additional layer of independent
oversight, South Coast AQMD is also conducting its own
unannounced air quality assessments near the facility and
throughout the community.
As cleanup efforts continued into July, South Coast AQMD
inspectors responded to numerous complaints of rotten,
sour, garbage-type odors from surrounding communities
and traced the odors to the cleanup operations at the
facility. On July 17, South Coast AQMD issued a formal
demand letter requiring Lineage Logistics, LLC (Lineage)
to strengthen its Odor Management Plan by implementing
more than two dozen additional odor control measures to
reduce impacts on nearby communities. As of August 7,
26 Notices of Violation (NOV) have been issued to the
warehouse operator for violating South Coast AQMD Rule
402 and California Health and Safety Code section 41700,
which prohibit emissions that create a public nuisance.
The South Coast AQMD Hearing Board held a hearing on
August 5 and approved an Order for Abatement requiring
Lineage to comply with more than 90 conditions designed
to contain, reduce, and eliminate odorous emissions.
In response to public testimony, the order also requires
bilingual communications and continued fenceline air
monitoring.
To help residents in Boyle Heights and surrounding
communities during cleanup activities, the South Coast
AQMD Governing Board approved up to $5 million
in additional funding to expand the agency’s AB 617
Residential Air Filtration Program. The additional funding
provided eligible households with expedited access to
CARB-certified HEPA air purifiers, a three-year supply
of replacement filters, and direct shipment to their homes
at no cost. During the second week of July, South Coast
AQMD staff also hosted community outreach events to
assist eligible residents with air purifier applications and
expedite participation in the program.
South Coast AQMD continues working with local, state,
and federal partners to monitor air quality, respond to
community concerns, and provide resources that help
protect public health throughout the recovery effort.
For the latest information on South Coast AQMD’s
response to the Palos Fire incident, including air
monitoring data, program information, and community
resources, visit aqmd.gov/palos.