Now that you can return home after the fires, how do you clean up safely?
2 months, 1 week ago

Now that you can return home after the fires, how do you clean up safely?

LA Times  

A drone image gives an overview of the aftermath of the Palisades fire near Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. Now that authorities are allowing residents to return to fire evacuation zones to see what’s left of their homes, health experts say it’s safer to wait a while before venturing into the burn areas. Elsayegh described the Los Angeles-area fires as “the largest urban fire in modern United States history.” The only somewhat comparable urban fire incident Elsayegh could point to was the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on New York’s World Trade Center, which he was present for. “The ash lives for about two years in any particular area, so it’s going to be around for a while,” Elsayegh said. Once you’re done visiting a burn area and you return to your temporary lodging, remove all your clothes and protective gear outside before you enter the residence to reduce exposing others inside the home.

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History of this topic

The L.A. wildfires left neighborhoods choking in ash and toxic air. Residents demand answers
1 month, 3 weeks ago

The L.A. wildfires left neighborhoods choking in ash and toxic air. Residents demand answers

LA Times  

Nearly two weeks after the Eaton fire forced Claire Robinson to flee her Altadena home, she returned, donning a white hazmat suit, a respirator and goggles. … So in this case, as Cal Fire lifted evacuation zones, we said, ‘Let’s get in there, let’s do recon as quickly as we can in advance of repopulation.’” In California, where electric vehicles …

Column: Everyone wants fire cleanup to be fast. Will we regret it?
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Column: Everyone wants fire cleanup to be fast. Will we regret it?

LA Times  

Hello and happy Tuesday. Trump is flat-out wrong when he says, “It’s all burned, it’s gone, it’s done.” Steve Calanog, the EPA’s deputy incident commander for the Southern California wildfires, told me his crews — experienced from so many other urban-wildfires — are searching for all kinds of things that can cause immediate danger during this “phase one” of cleanup. …

My house didn’t burn but ash from the L.A. fires fell in my yard. Can I eat from my garden? Is my soil safe?
2 months ago

My house didn’t burn but ash from the L.A. fires fell in my yard. Can I eat from my garden? Is my soil safe?

LA Times  

• Unlike ash from vegetation fires, ash from burning buildings usually contains many toxins from melted plastics, electronics and other common household items. Because of the danger from toxins, Los Angeles County has prohibited residents from cleaning up properties that were damaged or destroyed in burn areas “until a hazardous materials inspection is completed by an approved government agency.” But …

The ash left behind by the Los Angeles wildfires might be toxic, experts warn
2 months ago

The ash left behind by the Los Angeles wildfires might be toxic, experts warn

Associated Press  

Toni Boucher threw up the first time she saw the charred remains of her home and neighborhood after this month’s deadly Los Angeles-area wildfires. Experts warn that the blazes unleashed complex chemical reactions on paint, furniture, building materials, cars, electronics and other belongings, turning ordinary objects into potentially toxic ash that requires protective gear to handle safely. Even safe chemicals …

Cleaning up after the LA wildfires is dangerous. Here's how to protect yourself
2 months ago

Cleaning up after the LA wildfires is dangerous. Here's how to protect yourself

NPR  

Cleaning up after the LA wildfires is dangerous. Exposure to toxic materials left behind after houses burn can be "actually much more dangerous than what smoke may do to your lungs alone," he said. It matters what materials have burned Wildfire smoke and ash can be dangerous to people's health even when a fire burns primarily trees and plants. Research …

Ash And Other Dangers Mean LA Area Residents Who Fled Fires Won't Be Going Home Soon
2 months, 1 week ago

Ash And Other Dangers Mean LA Area Residents Who Fled Fires Won't Be Going Home Soon

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING LOS ANGELES — It has been more than a week since two massive fires forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes in the Los Angeles area, and officials said Thursday residents won’t be going home soon. “The properties have been damaged beyond belief,” Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella said at a …

Risks from ash and air pollution remain for people returning after wildfires. Here are symptoms to watch for
2 months, 1 week ago

Risks from ash and air pollution remain for people returning after wildfires. Here are symptoms to watch for

CNN  

CNN — As some people return to the structures spared from Los Angeles wildfires, experts warn that they should be careful of the air inside and especially cautious when cleaning up. You especially don’t want to come into contact with the ash in your lungs, eyes or skin.” Los Angeles Public Health has declared a local health emergency for the …

Wildfire smoke’s health risks can linger in homes that escape burning
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Wildfire smoke’s health risks can linger in homes that escape burning

Salon  

On Dec. 30, 2021, a wind-driven wildfire raced through two communities just outside Boulder, Colorado. In a new study released three years after the Marshall Fire, my colleagues and I looked at the health effects people experienced when they returned to still-standing homes. Tests in homes found elevated metals and VOCs In the days after the Marshall Fire, residents quickly …

Don’t worry about a dusting of wildfire ash on your garden — just wash it away
4 years, 6 months ago

Don’t worry about a dusting of wildfire ash on your garden — just wash it away

LA Times  

It seems like California’s wildfires have left a coating of ash on everything, including garden plants. Pot ash is actually a source of potassium and can be a useful nutrient for garden soil, said Savio, who offers advice at GardeningInLA.net. Large amounts of pot ash — that is, ash from wood-fueled fires — can increase the alkalinity in the soil, …

California wildfires: Homeowners come home to ash and rubble
6 years, 8 months ago

California wildfires: Homeowners come home to ash and rubble

CNN  

CNN — Eric Durtschi and his family moved to Santa Barbara County two weeks ago. A heat wave will continue bringing triple digit temperatures to California on Sunday, but some areas will be “noticeably cooler” with temperatures in the 90s, the National Weather Service said. Blaze near border with Oregon Another fire burning near the California-Oregon line, known as the …

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