Wildfires can leave surviving homes and their water unsafe – safety tips for residents as they return
Experts say smoke, toxic ash and chemicals can linger in standing homes and plumbing, and debris removal left 34% of properties contaminated after past fires.
- Washington Secretary of Health Dennis Worsham urged residents returning to fire-damaged homes in Spokane to protect themselves from invisible hazards, warning that surviving structures and water systems may contain dangerous smoke, ash, and chemical contamination.
- Smoke, toxic ash, and chemicals from burning buildings can enter homes through vents and HVAC systems, settling into walls and carpets; even unscathed houses may harbor volatile organic compounds undetectable by sight or smell.
- Worsham recommends N95 masks for cleanup to block particles and advises residents with private wells to inspect them for damage before use. He urged families to watch children around damaged property covers that may have melted during fires.
- Secretary Kennedy signed a federal public health emergency declaration under HHS, utilizing an 1135 waiver tied to Medicaid services to provide equipment and flexibility to healthcare providers during the emergency.
- Restoring properties requires more than debris removal, as research shows up to 34% of sites may still contain hazardous contamination; experts advise hiring qualified professionals to test soils and water systems before reoccupying or rebuilding.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Idaho Press
goSkagitWildfires can contaminate nearby homes and water systems – here’s what Spokane’s returning residents need to know
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)
The Conversation
Wildfires can leave surviving homes and their water unsafe – safety tips for residents as they return
Smoke from burning buildings and vehicles, such as Spokane, Wash., experienced in August 2026, can carry harmful pollutants into neighboring homes. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty ImagesWhen fire evacuation orders are lifted and residents start returning to burned neighborhoods, many people assume “cleared to return” means “safe.” It rarely does. As an environmental engineer who has worked with communities recovering from some of the most destructive…
Wildfires can leave surviving homes and their water unsafe – safety tips for residents as they return - Stateline Publications
When fire evacuation orders are lifted and residents start returning to burned neighborhoods, many people assume “cleared to return” means “safe.” It rarely does. As an environmental engineer who has worked with communities recovering from some of the most destructive wildfires in U.S. history, I have seen the same pattern repeatedly: Families return to still-standing homes, turn on taps without knowing whether plumbing has been contaminated, an…
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