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One Year After California Wildfires, Progress Is Slow in Rebuilding

More than 80% of survivors remain displaced amid insurance disputes and slow permits, while toxic lead and asbestos persist in over 60% of tested homes, reports show.

  • One year after the Jan. 7, 2025 blazes, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health researchers found volatile organic compounds persisted inside homes across Los Angeles County.
  • A UCLA study found that off‑gassing from smoke‑impacted materials drove higher indoor VOCs during the field sampling period from day two to Feb. 18, 2025, after incineration of household goods.
  • Measurements show average lead levels reached almost 60 times EPA rule and 63% of 50 sampled homes exceeded EPA lead standards, while Eaton Fire Residents United reported six of 10 smoke-damaged homes had asbestos or lead.
  • Residents face ongoing health symptoms and mental‑health strain, while insurance companies limit cleanup, forcing some to pay about $7,000 for soil tests or consider covering $10,000 t in retests.
  • Experts recommend ventilation, MERV‑13 HVAC filters and HEPA purifiers with charcoal filters to reduce indoor exposures, while homeowners press state agencies to enforce insurers' duties amid scrutiny of the California Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan.
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  • 42% of the sources are Center
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npr broke the news in Washington, United States on Saturday, January 3, 2026.
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