According to a new scientific study, wildfires that have ravaged California have purportedly left concentrations of carcinogens in the state’s soil.
Recent soil samples have shown the presence of hexavalent chromium, a cancer-causing agent, in the California soil.
Scientists say the intense heat of the wildfires may have caused the non-toxic version of the metal, which is commonly found in the state’s soil, into the deadly carcinogen.
“I think it changes our risk analysis when you think about exposure to wildfire smoke,” said study author Scott Fendorf.
