Rainfall leads officials to issue ocean water advisory, wildfire debris warning

As heavy rainfall is expected from Wednesday evening to Thursday afternoon, the Los Angeles County Departments of Public Health and Beaches and Harbors are reminding beachgoers to avoid ocean water and wildfire debris.

Officials urge the public to avoid water contact, especially near discharging storm drains, creeks and rivers as stormwater runoff may be contaminated with bacteria and chemicals, and contain wildfire debris and trash.

Wildfire debris should be avoided, including tangles of branches, twisted metals, chunks of building materials and dark, ashy material on the sand, as it can hide shards of glass, rusty nails and other sharp objects.

Following rain in January, dark sediment samples were taken to determine if there were chemicals present that would classify it as hazardous waste.

The sediment was tested for asbestos, heavy metals, dioxins, pesticides, petroleum hydrocarbons and other potential contaminants, and most substances were not detected, only traces of some were found in limited instances.

None of the detected levels exceeded safety thresholds for disposal. Results from samples taken at the end of February by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board are expected soon.

Officials said there are no plans at this time to remove the dark, charred sediment. Attempting to scrape it from rocks and sand could destroy marine habitats, erode the shoreline, and cause long-term environmental damage. Instead, natural tides and weather will gradually break down and wash away the sediment, allowing the ecosystem to recover naturally.