Wildfires Can Leave Surviving Homes and Their Water Unsafe – Safety Tips for Residents as They Return

A false sense of security: Spokane residents return to undamaged properties post-fires to find their homes contaminated with toxins

SPOKANE, Washington (The Spokesman-Review) — With her home on Winston Drive still standing, Bridget Perez thought she had managed to come out of the Spokane Complex fires relatively unscathed. Then the window seal in her 1-year-old son’s nursery tested positive for lead. So did her front door. And her brother’s house. And her mom’s house. […] The post A false sense of security: Spokane residents return to undamaged properties post-fires to find …

Residents of Oklahoma City RV park without water following wildfire

Residents of Holiday Out RV Park in Oklahoma City are recovering after a wildfire destroyed parts of their community, leaving them without water but thankful no lives were lost.

A false sense of security: Residents return to undamaged properties post-fires to find their homes contaminated with toxins

With her home on Winston Drive still standing, Bridget Perez thought she had managed to come out of the Spokane Complex fires relatively unscathed.

Wildfires can leave surviving homes and their water unsafe – safety tips for residents as they return

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…

Wildfires can leave surviving homes and their water unsafe – safety tips for residents as they return - Seward Independent

A home might appear fine, but toxic contamination isn’t always evident by sight or smell.

Wildfires can contaminate nearby homes and water systems – here’s what Spokane’s returning residents need to know

While there are many safety concerns after a wildfire, three deserve particular attention: chemicals in surviving buildings, the safety of drinking water and whether burned lots are ready for rebuilding.