{"id":2113,"date":"2025-03-27T23:31:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T23:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/?post_type=news&#038;p=2113"},"modified":"2025-10-13T23:02:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T23:02:18","slug":"usc-professors-house-burned-down-now-hes-helping-victims-test-their-soil","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\/usc-professors-house-burned-down-now-hes-helping-victims-test-their-soil\/","title":{"rendered":"USC professor\u2019s house burned down, now he\u2019s helping victims test their soil"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-light-gray has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-82641648 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained is-style-light-gray--1\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns aligngrid is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:55%\"><p class=\"is-style-default tribe-news-single-overline\" style=\"margin-top:0\"><span class=\"is-color-blue\">News<\/span><span class=\"separator\"> | <\/span><span>KCRW<\/span><span class=\"separator\"> | <\/span><span>March 2025<\/span><\/p>\n\n<h1 style=\"padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);\" class=\"wp-block-post-title\">USC professor\u2019s house burned down, now he\u2019s helping victims test their soil<\/h1>\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-large is-style-large--2\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\">The federal government will not test soil in the fire zones, so USC researchers are doing it for them. For earth scientist Josh West, the work is close to home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outlined tribe-button-has-icon is-style-outlined--3\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kcrw.com\/shows\/press-play-with-madeleine-brand\/stories\/soil-test\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read full article at KCRW<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:45%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large has-custom-border\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/Homes_destroyed_in_the_Palisades_fire_54272193113-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2114\" style=\"border-radius:16px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/Homes_destroyed_in_the_Palisades_fire_54272193113-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/Homes_destroyed_in_the_Palisades_fire_54272193113-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/Homes_destroyed_in_the_Palisades_fire_54272193113-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/Homes_destroyed_in_the_Palisades_fire_54272193113-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/Homes_destroyed_in_the_Palisades_fire_54272193113-1619x1080.jpg 1619w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/Homes_destroyed_in_the_Palisades_fire_54272193113.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo Source: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aligngrid is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"is-style-small is-style-small--4\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\">Filed under<\/p>\n\n\n<p><span class=\"c-tag-list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-tag-list__item t-category c-tag-list__item--green\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\/?_practice_area=climate-sustainability\" class=\"c-tag-list__item-link\">Climate &amp; Sustainability<\/a>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-tag-list__item t-category c-tag-list__item--orange\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\/?_practice_area=health-wellbeing\" class=\"c-tag-list__item-link\">Health &amp; Well-being<\/a>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-9bcb33e3 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aligngrid is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-9366075c wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-overline is-style-overline--5\">Related News<\/h2>\n\n\n<div style=\"margin-top:0;\" class=\"wp-block-buttons wp-block-tribe-explore-all-news-button\">\n\t<div class=\"b-explore-news-button wp-block-button is-style-outline tribe-button-has-icon\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\" class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\">Explore all news<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);margin-bottom:0\"\/>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"b-related-news b-related-news--layout-grid aligngrid aligngrid wp-block-acf-related-news\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"c-news-card\">\n\t<ul class=\"c-tag-list c-news-card__tags\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"c-tag-list__item t-category c-tag-list__item--green\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\/?_practice_area=climate-sustainability\" class=\"c-tag-list__item-link\">Climate &amp; Sustainability<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t<\/ul>\n\t<div class=\"c-news-card__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"c-news-card__image\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/michelle-barton-top-1920x1080-1-1024x576.avif\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/michelle-barton-top-1920x1080-1-1024x576.avif 1024w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/michelle-barton-top-1920x1080-1-300x169.avif 300w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/michelle-barton-top-1920x1080-1-768x432.avif 768w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/michelle-barton-top-1920x1080-1-1536x864.avif 1536w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/michelle-barton-top-1920x1080-1-680x383.avif 680w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/michelle-barton-top-1920x1080-1-1280x720.avif 1280w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/michelle-barton-top-1920x1080-1.avif 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"c-news-card__content\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"c-news-card__title t-display-x-small\">USC Dornsife Public Exchange welcomes climate leader with deep LA policy experience<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"c-news-card__metadata\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-news-card__metadata-outlet t-category\">USC Dornsife News<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-news-card__metadata-separator t-category\">|<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-news-card__metadata-post-date t-category\">April 2026<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\/usc-dornsife-public-exchange-welcomes-climate-leader-with-deep-la-policy-experience\/\" class=\"c-news-card__link-overlay\">Read more about USC Dornsife Public Exchange welcomes climate leader with deep LA policy experience<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"c-news-card\">\n\t<ul class=\"c-tag-list c-news-card__tags\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"c-tag-list__item t-category c-tag-list__item--green\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\/?_practice_area=climate-sustainability\" class=\"c-tag-list__item-link\">Climate &amp; Sustainability<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t<\/ul>\n\t<div class=\"c-news-card__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"c-news-card__image\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/LAT-Article-Photo-1024x682.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"A hand in a clear glove collects a sand sample\" srcset=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/LAT-Article-Photo-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/LAT-Article-Photo-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/LAT-Article-Photo-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/LAT-Article-Photo-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/LAT-Article-Photo-1619x1080.jpeg 1619w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/LAT-Article-Photo.jpeg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"c-news-card__content\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"c-news-card__title t-display-x-small\">New report on L.A. post-fire beach contamination finds something unexpected: good news<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"c-news-card__metadata\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-news-card__metadata-outlet t-category\">LA Times<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-news-card__metadata-separator t-category\">|<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-news-card__metadata-post-date t-category\">March 2026<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\/new-report-on-l-a-post-fire-beach-contamination-finds-something-unexpected-good-news\/\" class=\"c-news-card__link-overlay\">Read more about New report on L.A. post-fire beach contamination finds something unexpected: good news<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"c-news-card\">\n\t<ul class=\"c-tag-list c-news-card__tags\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"c-tag-list__item t-category c-tag-list__item--brown\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\/?_practice_area=disaster-response\" class=\"c-tag-list__item-link\">Disaster Response<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t<\/ul>\n\t<div class=\"c-news-card__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"c-news-card__image\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/berelson-eaton-fire-top-1920x1080-2-1024x576.avif\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"A photo of the smoke billowing over mountains\" srcset=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/berelson-eaton-fire-top-1920x1080-2-1024x576.avif 1024w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/berelson-eaton-fire-top-1920x1080-2-300x169.avif 300w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/berelson-eaton-fire-top-1920x1080-2-768x432.avif 768w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/berelson-eaton-fire-top-1920x1080-2-1536x864.avif 1536w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/berelson-eaton-fire-top-1920x1080-2-680x383.avif 680w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/berelson-eaton-fire-top-1920x1080-2-1280x720.avif 1280w, https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/berelson-eaton-fire-top-1920x1080-2.avif 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"c-news-card__content\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"c-news-card__title t-display-x-small\">Eaton fire sent a pollution wave across Los Angeles<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"c-news-card__metadata\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-news-card__metadata-outlet t-category\">USC Dornsife News <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-news-card__metadata-separator t-category\">|<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-news-card__metadata-post-date t-category\">March 2026<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\/eaton-fire-sent-a-pollution-wave-across-los-angeles\/\" class=\"c-news-card__link-overlay\">Read more about Eaton fire sent a pollution wave across Los Angeles<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"c-news-card\">\n\t<ul class=\"c-tag-list c-news-card__tags\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"c-tag-list__item t-category c-tag-list__item--green\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\/?_practice_area=climate-sustainability\" class=\"c-tag-list__item-link\">Climate &amp; 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For earth scientist Josh West, the work is close to home. Filed under Climate &amp; Sustainability Health &amp; Well-being Related News<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":2114,"template":"","practice":[10,7],"class_list":["post-2113","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>USC professor\u2019s house burned down, now he\u2019s helping victims test their soil - USC<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"After losing his home to wildfire, a USC professor is leading efforts to help Los Angeles residents test their soil for dangerous lead contamination and other toxic substances at no cost, filling a critical gap left by federal agencies. Learn about this community-driven wildfire recovery initiative.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\/usc-professors-house-burned-down-now-hes-helping-victims-test-their-soil\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"USC professor\u2019s house burned down, now he\u2019s helping victims test their soil - USC\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"After losing his home to wildfire, a USC professor is leading efforts to help Los Angeles residents test their soil for dangerous lead contamination and other toxic substances at no cost, filling a critical gap left by federal agencies. Learn about this community-driven wildfire recovery initiative.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\/usc-professors-house-burned-down-now-hes-helping-victims-test-their-soil\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"USC\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-13T23:02:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/Homes_destroyed_in_the_Palisades_fire_54272193113.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\/usc-professors-house-burned-down-now-hes-helping-victims-test-their-soil\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\/usc-professors-house-burned-down-now-hes-helping-victims-test-their-soil\/\",\"name\":\"USC professor\u2019s house burned down, now he\u2019s helping victims test their soil - USC\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\/usc-professors-house-burned-down-now-hes-helping-victims-test-their-soil\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/news\/usc-professors-house-burned-down-now-hes-helping-victims-test-their-soil\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/public-exchange.org\/usc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/Homes_destroyed_in_the_Palisades_fire_54272193113.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-27T23:31:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-13T23:02:18+00:00\",\"description\":\"After losing his home to wildfire, a USC professor is leading efforts to help Los Angeles residents test their soil for dangerous lead contamination and other toxic substances at no cost, filling a critical gap left by federal agencies. 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