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Dr. Sanjay Mohanty, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, was recently featured in the Los Angeles Times for his critical work analyzing soil contamination in the aftermath of the Los Angeles wildfires. He advises residents affected by the recent LA wildfires to consider remediating the topsoil of their homes. He also suggested adding new topsoil, as a second option if a full remediation isn’t feasible.
Professor Mohanty is conducting soil testing in affected areas to better understand the environmental impact of the fires as part of the Community Action Project LA, a multi-university collaboration. He recommends that everyone in the burn areas — regardless of the potential level of contamination on their property — should ideally have the top layer of their yard scraped and then replaced with a fresh few inches of topsoil.
“For those unable to afford a full remediation,” Mohanty advised, “adding a new layer of topsoil is the next best option to help dilute contaminants.” He also suggested planting grass to further stabilize the soil and reduce dust.
His expertise offers valuable guidance to communities working to recover safely from the devastating wildfires.
For more on Professor Mohanty’s post-fire soil research, read the full article in the Los Angeles Times.