What is in the air?
Measuring particles and volatile organic compounds inside and outside fire-affected homes.
Indoor & outdoor airCurrent research focus
Wildfire smoke.
Lasting questions.
We investigate air quality during fires and through recovery, with a focus on the 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires in Los Angeles.
From outdoor smoke to indoor exposure
A home can remain standing while smoke changes the air inside it. Our work asks which pollutants persist, where they come from, and how exposures change during recovery.
We combine indoor and outdoor sampling, mobile measurements and laboratory analysis. This work contributes to collaborative research on the environmental and health consequences of urban wildfires.
Read the reporting: UCLA research feature · Science: fieldwork in Altadena
Research directions
Three questions guiding our work
What do materials retain?
Investigating contaminants in smoke-impacted textiles and other household soft goods.
Household materials
How does recovery affect air quality?
Using neighborhood particle monitoring to follow conditions during cleanup and rebuilding.
Community monitoring
Wildfire recovery
Indoor & outdoor air
We collected air samples during and after the 2025 Los Angeles fires. Published work examines volatile organic compounds indoors and outdoors, fine and ultrafine particles in the Eaton Fire burn zone, and airborne metal-containing particles near cleanup areas. Together, these studies examine exposure beyond the active burning period.
UCLA research overview →
Wildfire recovery
Smoke-impacted household materials
Our team studies smoke-impacted clothing, blankets, pillows and stuffed animals to understand retained contaminants and continuing emissions. The project evaluates practical approaches such as washing and airing out materials. The purpose is to develop evidence for recovery decisions; effective cleaning methods remain a research question.
Read about the materials study →
Wildfire recovery
CAP AIR: neighborhood measurements
A UCLA-led team installed 20 monitoring stations in 2025 across western Los Angeles County. The network measures fine and coarse airborne particles, supporting local awareness during cleanup and reconstruction. It complements detailed chemical sampling: particle measurements alone do not identify every pollutant.
Read about the network →Selected wildfire publications
Yao et al. · Environmental Science & Technology Letters · 2026
Indoor and outdoor volatile organic compounds
Read paper (PDF) →Chen et al. · Environmental Science & Technology Letters · 2026
Fine and ultrafine particles in the Eaton Fire burn zone
Read paper (PDF) →Kleeman et al. · Communications Earth & Environment · 2026
Airborne hexavalent chromium near cleanup zones
Read paper (PDF) →Li et al. · Environmental Science & Technology · 2026
Inequities in indoor wildfire PM2.5 exposure
Read paper (PDF) →Related fieldwork
Our response to the June 2026 Boyle Heights warehouse fire extends our attention to urban combustion and community exposure.
Boyle Heights fieldwork & reporting →