Multiple outlets report that a new study finds Los Angeles-area residents are exposed to elevated heavy metals during the 2025 wildfires, with smoke containing lead levels far above normal background.

The research described exposure occurring over a 24-hour period during the peak of the fires, when millions of people were affected. Across the coverage, outlets emphasize that the lead concentrations reached multiples of typical background levels, with one report citing lead at about 80 times the normal level.

While most sources share the same core findings—millions exposed, exposure tied to the fire smoke, and a sharp spike in airborne lead levels—some differ in the specific details highlighted. One outlet includes an approximate population figure for those exposed, while others focus on the “aftermath” framing or the scale of the contamination. One report also notes the study’s framing around having an “opportunity to make measurements.”