Marine biologists warn floating wildfire debris may upset marine ecosystem

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. (KABC) -- Following January's wildfires, there have been reports of increased debris floating off the Southern California coast, including a viral video that showed a floating debris island off the coast of Malibu.

Images like this have many wondering how debris from the wildfire could impact marine life.

What effect does fire debris have on marine life?

Marine biologists warn it may take months or years to understand the Palisades Fire's full impact on sea life.

Heal the Bay, a Los Angeles County environmental nonprofit, says they are still seeing elevated heavy metals in the ocean.

The immediate effect is a blackout beneath floating debris. The debris blocks sunlight, preventing photosynthesis, which could quickly kill some species.

The health of kelp has been one concern from this blackout. Kelp is a key ecosystem-driver, providing food and habitats for some marine creatures like fish and sea urchins.

"We haven't been able to find any full giant kelps in the water," said Hayden Schneider, an outreach and partner associate at Kelp Ark. "That kind of leads us to believe that there might already be some damage."

How marine biologists are preserving sea life

Since the Palisades Fire, conservationists have worked to restore kelp forests around Topanga Beach and Big Rock Beach.

Divers collected as much biodiversity as possible for preservation until the debris blackout clears.

Kevin Gaines, director of operations at Kelp Ark, explained the process: "We take the live plants, and we bring them back to our aqua culture systems at AltaSea. And we actually get them to release sporocytes, and we take those and they create little baby plants."

Reproductive material that has been found from the area is now safe in Kelp Ark's bio bank. Other samples are surviving in conditions that support reproduction over time.

Once the water clears, divers will return healthy kelp to the sea.

All of this is part of an effort to protect sea life from the immediate blackout conditions beneath the surface caused by floating debris.

Still, a long-term concern is the heavy metals from debris, which could enter the food chain and pose health risks to marine life and humans over time.