For the Press:
UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation Research and Commentary on the LA Fire Response and Recovery
Credit: Palisades Fire, Newsweek
Our experts are available to comment on the following topics:
- Water Supply and Quality
For more information, see Wildfire and Water Supply in California: Advancing a Research and Policy Agenda.
- “Urban water systems are not designed to fight wildfires and put out fires on mountainsides. Even if you had all the water, all the power, and all the holding tanks in the world, you still couldn’t have combatted this unless you had a lot more labor and were able to undertake a better aerial approach with helicopters and fire retardants. ” – Gregory Pierce, research and co-executive director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
- “The LA Department of Water and Power has flaws, but it is one of the most sophisticated, technically competent water suppliers in the region, and they were as well-prepared as anyone could expect. In terrain like the Palisades, it takes a lot of power, energy, and cost to get water supply up there. The Santa Ynez reservoir being offline to ensure compliance was very bad luck, but not something any system would have been expected to handle differently. No one can say exactly what condition the pieces of infrastructure were in except the utility, but there’s no good reason to think that they performed anomalously.” – Gregory Pierce, research and co-executive director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
- “”We’ve seen the profound effect wildfires can have on urban drinking water quality. From short-term impacts that result in ‘Do not drink’ or ‘boil water’ notices, to long-term damage to public and private plumbing infrastructure. All of this can undermine public trust in tap water, which leads people to much more costly alternatives. We need to coordinate ASAP on testing, treatment, and public communication and involve non-profit organizations that are trusted in their communities. Otherwise, residents will be confused, concerned, or worse regarding the safety of their water.” – Gregory Pierce, research and co-executive director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
- Air Quality and Public Health Impacts from Wildfires
For more information, see Mortality attributable to PM2.5 from wildland fires in California.
- “Our research finds thousands more people than previously counted die each year in California due to the health impacts of wildfire smoke. Research suggests that particulate matter from wildfire smoke is more harmful to human health than from other pollution sources.” – Rachel Connolly, air quality and environmental equity researcher at UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
- “Be cautious. No one knows exactly what is in the air during and after a massive urban fire. Be sure to use websites with real-time air quality measurements such as the EPA’s AirNow Fire and Smoke Map or the PurpleAir Map to get a sense of whether it’s safe to be outdoors. But be aware that these resources do not reflect all toxic pollution that might be released into the air. Fine particulate matter is a primary pollutant of concern with wildfire smoke, and is often driving the Air Quality Index, or AQI– but the AQI does not include toxic air contaminants, including asbestos, lead, and benzene that have been found when populated areas burn. However, the AQI will provide a sense of current air pollution patterns driven by wind.” – Rachel Connolly, air quality and environmental equity researcher at UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
- “Key recommendations are to wear a protective mask, such as an N95 respirator, and stay indoors with an air purifier with a HEPA filter running. The California Air Resources Board has a list of certified air filters. If you’re sending your kids to school in a location near the fires, make sure their school has an updated HVAC system and is limiting outdoor activity.” – Rachel Connolly, air quality and environmental equity researcher at UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
- Land Use and Governance Considerations for Recovery
- “An uncoordinated race to rebuild will amplify inequality and add to our region’s problems. There is an alternative — a community-driven approach that allows neighborhoods to prioritize investments and build institutions that will improve their resilience for the long term. This isn’t pie-in-the-sky; these community-led endeavors are already underway in neighborhoods throughout the LA region. It’s a model we might consider for the areas most devastated by the fires.” – Megan Mullin, faculty director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
- “If Palisades residents want a super robust water system unlike anything that exists in the world, that’s going to cost an incredible amount. The residents would likely need to bear the cost for that special protection, or think about running their own system.” – Gregory Pierce, research and co-executive director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
- Politics of Disaster and Response
- “In times like this, everyone wants to know who to blame. But the unprecedented demands created by climate change challenge how we think about government accountability. How much preparation should we expect for events we’ve never seen before? And are we as taxpayers ready to pay for the investments needed to prepare adequately?” – Megan Mullin, faculty director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
- “Strain on the federal government’s disaster response regime has been growing, and the scale of this event would already test a system under strain. That the event occurred in Los Angeles – with all the political and cultural import it carries – brings all of these hard questions squarely into the bullseye of partisan polarization.” – Megan Mullin, faculty director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
- Climate Whiplash and Extreme Weather
- “LA experienced the most intense Santa Ana winds in nearly 15 years, which were not only incredibly strong and fast but also erratic, meaning that embers flew for miles in unpredictable directions.” – Edith de Guzman, water equity and adaptation policy specialist at UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Media Inquiries
Mara Elana Burstein
Communications Director
mara@luskin.ucla.edu
310-388-7623
For inquiries on LA’s fire preparedness, wildfires and water systems, and water quality:
Gregory Pierce
Research and Co-Executive Director of the Luskin Center for Innovation
gpierce@luskin.ucla.edu
For inquiries on LA’s fire preparedness, wildfires and water systems, and water quality:
Gregory Pierce
Research and Co-Executive Director of the Luskin Center for Innovation
gpierce@luskin.ucla.edu
Expert Contacts
For inquiries on LA’s fire preparedness, wildfires and water systems, and water quality:
Gregory Pierce
Research and Co-Executive Director of the Luskin Center for Innovation
gpierce@luskin.ucla.edu
For inquiries on air quality, wildfires, and public health:
Rachel Connolly
Air quality and environmental equity researcher, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and UCLA Center for Healthy Climate Solutions
rachelconnolly@g.ucla.edu
For inquiries on politics and governance of disaster and recovery:
Megan Mullin
Faculty Director, Luskin Center for Innovation
mullin@luskin.ucla.edu
For inquiries on water systems; land use and governance considerations for recovery; and climate whiplash and extreme weather:
Edith de Guzman
Water Equity and Adaptation Policy Specialist, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources
eb3@ucla.edu
