Holding two garden hoses connected to spouting faucets, Matthew Craig battled fire and smoke from the onslaught of flames that destroyed much of Altadena, once a lush corner of Los Angeles County. Saved the house. The wind felt like dragon's breath and “we were all eating smoke,” he said.
But even if his home is safe, for now, it will be a long time before he and his family feel safe enough to return home. He said every room in the house was covered in ash, dust, soot and dirt blown in by strong winds. “My 5-year-old son, wife, dog, and I don't want to live in a toxic wasteland.”
As residents begin to return to fire-ravaged areas, experts say they are battling a host of toxic substances in the lingering smoke and ash that can cause respiratory illnesses and make things worse.
When a neighborhood goes up in smoke, all kinds of man-made materials can burn, including vehicles, lead pipes, paint, and plastics, producing and leaving behind harmful fumes and fumes. Recent research shows that even in homes that have survived destruction, smoke and ash swept indoors can cling to rugs, couches and drywall, causing health problems that can last for months. It turned out that there is a sex.
“There are so many people who have lost their homes to this effect, it's devastating,” said Colleen Reed, who studies the health effects of air pollution at the University of Colorado Boulder and led the study. “But even people who think they're lucky to have a safe home can actually be exposed to many toxic substances,” she says. “The wind flows through every gap.”
Professor Reid said this was particularly problematic because if insurance companies did not acknowledge the damage caused by this type of ash and soot, some people could be forced to leave sooner or take on the cleanup themselves. And sifting the ash can release harmful particles back into the air. Some states have reportedly moved to force more insurance companies to cover smoke and ash intrusion.
Yifan Zhu, a professor of environmental health at the University of California, Los Angeles, said smoke and overall air quality remain a risk. Soot and other particulates, known as PM2.5, can enter the lungs, heart, and even the bloodstream, affecting the entire body.
Ironically, the weakening of Santa Ana's winds, which could aid firefighting efforts, means more smoke lingers around, she said. Air quality measurements that focus on particulate pollution such as soot also do not indicate the risk of other complex air pollution caused by the fires, she said.
Typical air quality indices, for example, do not include volatile organic compounds, which can cause headaches and nausea and, in the long term, are linked to cancer and other diseases. And N-95 masks aren't as effective against other contaminants.
“There was a lot of material that was burned, and there were a lot of other toxic substances in the air,” she said. “This is why you can smell something even if the air monitor doesn't.”
For those who have returned to their homes in affected areas, there are steps they can take to protect themselves, she said. Carbon cartridge masks are more effective against toxic air pollution than masks. Children, the elderly, pregnant, asthmatic, and those with respiratory or heart conditions should not participate in the cleaning.
If you develop serious symptoms such as chest pain, wheezing, or severe cough, seek medical attention and avoid strenuous exercise. Stay indoors if possible and use an air purifier with an activated carbon filter in addition to a HEPA filter. “It's good to be careful,” says Dr. Zhu.
