Palisades Community Soil Testing Day

Fires can impact the soil in our communities — but testing it is simple, free, and helps keep our families and neighbors safe. Join the USC CLEAN team and the Department of Angels for a free soil testing event with expert guidance, easy sample collection and drop-off, plus refreshments, music, and activities for all ages.

What to Expect

At this event, neighbors can:

• Learn how to collect soil samples and submit them for free lead testing
• Connect with trusted soil and health experts ready to answer your questions
• Access free blood lead level testing from the LA County Department of Public Health
• Enjoy refreshments, music, and activities for all ages

Activities Include:

• Resource fair
• Expert talks
• Free mobile coffee bar
• And more TBA!

Why Soil Testing Matters

Testing our soil helps guide a safe recovery.

Prolonged exposure to lead is especially dangerous for children and pregnant women, and lead doesn’t break down over time. Ash and smoke can carry lead from burned buildings into nearby yards. Soil testing gives you quick, reliable results so you can make informed choices for your home, family, and community.

Powered by support from FireAid and others, the USC CLEAN team has processed over 4,000 soil samples from fire-impacted neighborhoods across the Eaton and Palisades areas. The good news: most samples are below state and federal safety thresholds for lead. But every yard is different, and knowing your own results matters. Testing your soil is important and easy.

How to Participate

You can bring a soil sample from your yard to the event after taking the CLEAN intake survey and reading the sampling guide. Or, come to the event to watch a live soil sampling demonstration before collecting your sample. Then, return your soil sample to the event, where it will be sent to the lab for testing. Results will be available digitally within a few weeks.

Can’t make it to your property? Volunteers will also be available at the event to collect samples for you.

If you'd like to volunteer to collect soil samples on behalf of neighbors who can't make it, please make that selection in your registration.

Venue Instructions
Location: The event will take place at the Polo Field at Will Rogers State Park. Signs will be posted on the day of the event to help direct participants to the location

Parking: Parking is $12 per vehicle at Will Rogers or attendess can park for free along Will Rogers State Park Road, to the right of the entrance before the parking booth. We recommend attendees caprool if possible.

Thanks to Our Partners

Thanks to our event partners for providing soil health resources, activities, and more:

About The Department of Angels

The Department of Angels is an independent nonprofit formed in the immediate aftermath of the January 2025 Los Angeles fires. They exist to make sure fire-impacted communities in Los Angeles can lead their own recovery — on their terms — with the support, resources, and know-how they need to thrive.

About USC CLEAN

Contaminant Level Evaluation and Analysis for Neighborhoods (CLEAN) is a rapid response soil testing program from the USC Department of Earth Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, and Public Exchange. Powered by generous support from FireAid and L.A. Care, CLEAN is a free service provided to all L.A. County residents to evaluate levels of lead contamination in soils in the wake of the Los Angeles wildfires. CLEAN makes soil testing results easy to understand with a lead interpretation guide that has recommendations on next steps to best protect your health.

More partners to be announced!