EPA announces new wildfire prevention efforts
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Jan. 13, 2026, that it will conduct random soil samplings in the Eaton wildfire areas. The funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is designed to verify the effectiveness of Los Angeles wildfire cleanup and to prepare for future wildfire responses nationwide, following EPA’s successful cleanup procedures in the Palisades fires in February 2025.
“The EPA successfully completed one of the most ambitious wildfire cleanup operations in our nation’s history, safely removing hazardous debris from thousands of affected properties in record time,” said Administrator Lee Zeldin. “This additional sampling effort demonstrates our continued commitment to Los Angeles residents. By establishing data-driven best practices today, we’re ensuring that EPA and our partners will be even better prepared to protect American communities in future wildfire disasters.”
