Malibu Divers’ Barbara Gentile collaborates with Surfrider Foundation to collaboratively assess the effect of fire-caused toxins
When the Palisades Fire occurred, researchers from University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institute of Oceanography and NOAA Fishery Southwest Fishery Science Center were collecting samples from the NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker, which left San Diego Jan. 3 and sailed along the California Coast for an ongoing survey project.According to an article published by Scripps, scientists on board the research boat reported that the smoke billowing from the fire dropped ash and debris that coated the ocean surface as far as 100 miles offshore.
The first Tesla Fire
When Malibuites, first responders and governmental leaders from various agencies gathered at Malibu High School a few days after the Palisades Fire broke out, several panelists speaking to the group noted that it was the first time Tesla lithium batteries from burned-out cars and Tesla home powerwalls were destroyed in wildfires in large quantities.
Whether ash was deposited right along Malibu’s coast or settled in the sea further away from the coastline, the urban source of fallout from the Palisades Fire presents a new opportunity to sample ash containing lithium and other substances ranging from household chemicals and building materials, scientists noted. “These fires are not only consuming vegetation but also massive amounts of urban infrastructure,” said Project Leader Julie Dinasquet of Scripps Oceanography as the fire still raged on. “This introduces a novel ‘urban ash’ component to the wildfire source, filled with exceptionally toxic materials such as heavy metals like lead, and arsenic, as well as asbestos fibers, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and microplastics. These fires pose a significant threat to both humans and ecosystems through the introduction of a large amount of toxic material in the system.”
Malibu Fire Debris Ocean Recovery Project
Readers may wonder whether government agencies or nonprofit groups are working within the fire scar in Malibu along the coast where homes burned and recent mudslides deposited debris to determine what harm the fire caused to the ocean plant ecosystems and wildlife near Malibu, whether and how any damage can be remediated, and who will lead such efforts.
The answers to those queries are both complicated and unbelievably inadequate. According to Barbara Gentile, a research diver and co-owner of Malibu Divers, there is no agency taking the initiative to assess fire-related damage to kelp forests and other ecosystems along Malibu’s coastline. Rather, Gentile and a group of concerned local citizens are trying to assessthe damage and advocate for efforts to mitigate any harm as much as possible.
Gentile’s project, dubbed the Malibu Fire Debris Ocean Recovery Project, consists of an ad hoc local Malibu group composed of community members, divers, and stewards of the environment. “The project is collaborating with Heal the Bay, which will contribute scientific expertise and advocacy and Occidental College, which will contribute to research and ecological analyses,” Gentile said. “The project’s goal is to identify and safely remove post-fire debris from reef and eelgrass habitats. Methods employed for the project include side scan sonar and supportive diver verification and possibly water quality sampling.”
The group recently conducted a dive survey on our first underwater debris reconnaissance, Gentile noted, adding, “We covered five different sites along roughly 8 miles of coastline from Will Rogers to Carbon Beach with five divers (scuba and freediver) and one topside support.
“On dive 1, the group encountered a layer of black ash/soot covering the sand and basically zero visibility. As we traveled west, it got progressively better, but not much better, attaining only 3- to 4-foot visibility at best.”
Overall, she reported, “The group encountered very low visibility, an unexpected great white sighting, and a lot of unanswered questions about where and how to best focus our efforts.”
“Our long-term vision is to attain a cleaner, safer nearshore environment and a replicable model for post-fire coastal response,” she explained. “The field work is very important — especially knowing that some of this debris may include hazardous materials that could affect our reefs, wildlife, and even the broader coastal ecosystem.”
Gentile explained that hers is, “truly a community-led effort consisting of an incredible group of passionate local Malibu residents who’ve come together informally to help protect our home waters.” Addressing the group’s planned efforts, she stated, “Our next steps involve side scan sonar surveys to identify debris fields — ideally in combination with eelgrass mapping — so we can plan safe and effective cleanup dives. We’re committed to doing this right, using science and local knowledge together.”
Gentile bemoaned that the group’s efforts are being slightly thwarted due to, “substantial funding reductions from governmental bodies, which has unfortunately constrained our operational capacity.”
However, she noted that the group is conducting further dives and intends to collect water samples, which will contributeto ongoing monitoring efforts.
One thing is clear, Gentile noted, “Searching by dive alone is too slow and inefficient for the scale of what we’re trying to do. We need to find a boat equipped with side-scan sonar or to connect with someone who has expertise in sonar operation. I’m open to renting equipment if needed, but would appreciate any help locating resources or skilled folks in this area.”
To contact Gentile about her project, email her at Barbara@malibudivers.com.