The first trip of a new quarterly research voyage to explore the state of the Pacific Ocean. Directly impacted by the Palisades and Eaton fires in the Los Angeles area, scientists shifted their sampling strategies. As the fires raged on land, researchers aboard the vessel collected crucial samples to examine the unprecedented impact of human-made materials entering the ocean.
Julie Dinasquet, leading the Scripps Institution’s research into fire impacts on marine environments, issued an impassioned rallying cry. She challenged the researchers going to sea to expand their base of data collection. Her directives were issued as intense winds moved smoke and embers from the fires more than 100 miles out to sea. This situation represents a unique opportunity for scientists to gather data during a natural disaster that may affect the ocean in ways not seen with previous wildfires.
Cruising along the research vessel, scientists were met with stark, visible proof of the catastrophic result of those fires. Smoke plumes stretching as far as Los Angeles were visible from space, with ash cascading into the Salem waters below. An extremely fine mesh net used to catch plankton near the surface of the ocean became covered in soot from the ash. This beautifully illustrates the difference that the fire has quickly made on marine life.
In early January 2025, a team of researchers set out on a journey. They packed a jar with water contaminated with black ash and debris that they gathered while tracking other ocean happenings. These samples will give us critical information on the ecological effects of these fires.
“This is a pretty tragic time, but it presents a perfect opportunity for data-gathering,” Dinasquet stated, highlighting the significance of this simultaneous research effort. As increasing fire events challenge ecosystems, the need to know their impact on ocean health is more important than ever.
The materials that burned in the Los Angeles fires raise legitimate concerns about their environmental effects. This damage may be even more devastating than what we’ve seen from past wildfires. Rasmus Swalethorp, director of ship operations for the Cal Coast Ocean Fishing Institute, recognized the value of such voyages for scientists. He noted, “These were bigger than anything I’ve seen before, and we were just heading straight towards those smoke plumes.”
Dinasquet underscored the broader need for assessing marine ecosystems’ resilience. That’s especially important, since they’re under increasing pressure from disasters like these. “How resilient is the ecosystem going to be, especially if this kind of stress is increasing in the future?” she asked, reflecting on the broader implications of climate-driven disasters.
These CalCOFI trips go out to continuously collect 85 different samples at each station. In doing so, they track the same measure across 1,000 different localities over time. Data from this terrible incident are being incorporated into researchers’ work. Their aim is to improve their scientific knowledge around the impacts of wildfires on oceanographic conditions and marine habitats.
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