Could the LA Wildfires Harm Marine Life in California?

NOAA scientists aboard a research vessel studied Los Angeles wildfire ash in coastal waters. Hear how their rapid response may reveal long-term ecosystem impacts.

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Pale krill against a black background. Krill (Thysanoessa inermis). Credit: NOAA Fisheries.
A gray whale and her calft migrate north along the California coast A gray whale and her calf migrate north along the California coast on their way to summer feeding grounds in the Arctic. Scientists are using an unmanned aerial vehicle to produce very precise overhead images of gray whales, then analyzing the images to understand how environmental conditions affect the health of adult females and ultimately the reproductive success of the population. Credit: NOAA
Vessel deck with gloved hands holding a 25mm opilio crab upside down while using a syringe to collect samples from the shoulder joint. Small sample baskets are in the background on a gray table. Erin Fedawa collects snow crab hemolymph samples during the 2023 Eastern Bering Sea bottom trawl survey to monitor for bitter crab disease. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
Flower Garden Banks Reef Scene A Spanish hogfish (left) and yellowtail damselfish (right) peek out from a reef in the Gulf of Mexico. Credit: Emma Hickerson/NOAA
A view from a satellite over Earth’s ocean and an aerial view of a blue whale A view from a satellite over Earth’s ocean and an aerial view of a blue whale.
Researchers in hard hats and vests use a pulley system to lower a glider into the water off the back of a research ship. Other researchers sit in a black raft floating in the water behind the boat. Deploying a glider off the side of a ship. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

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