As Los Angeles area residents return to their homes in the aftermath of the devastating wildfires, the process of clean up can be overwhelming. People may be exposed to ashes, carbon monoxide and other pollutants that can be harmful to health, so they should plan and work carefully. If you’re not in the area and looking for a way to help, consider passing these resources along to loved ones who are affected. If you live in a place that may experience wildfires in the future, this information can help you be better prepared. Follow these tips to protect the health of you and your family.
1. Assess the Situation
Be sure your home is safe before you return. This includes ensuring that any fires in and around the area are completely extinguished. Check the home for structural damage. If you find structural damage, don’t reenter until it has been certified as safe by a building inspector. Be on alert for any possible leaks from pipelines and report any smells immediately. Electric circuits and equipment may have gotten wet when extinguishing flames, so keep the power off until your home’s electricity has been inspected and has been approved to be turned back on. Lastly, before you begin any clean up, ensure your home is safe to enter by checking for gas and carbon monoxide leaks.
2. Protect Yourself
Once the area has been deemed safe enough to reenter, you will want to protect yourself during clean-up. Chemicals and other dangerous materials may have entered your house during the fire, so avoid any direct contact with debris. This means wearing long sleeves, pants, gloves and ideally goggles if you can. Wash off anything that gets on your skin as soon as you can. To protect against any airborne chemicals, wear a well-fitting N95 or P-100 respirator. This will protect your lungs from soot and ash – surgical and cloth masks are not enough.
Taking fresh air breaks frequently, outdoors if you can, is a good practice. If you experience any breathing problems, pain or nausea stop cleaning and call your healthcare provider immediately. Chemicals in the air are particularly harmful to children, older people, individuals who are pregnant or living with chronic lung or heart disease so they should not help with clean-up. Pets should also be kept out of the area.
3. Air Everything Out
When you reenter your home, you will want to air out the house as quickly as possible. If the air outside is fresh, open windows to allow the air to circulate. If not, create a clean room first before tackling other spaces that can be used as a fresh air retreat. Run the HVAC system and/or use HEPA filter air cleaning devices to filter particles out of the air. Air cleaners that have charcoal filters can help with odors. Be sure to change filters as they become clogged. Clean up around outdoor air intakes, and clean indoor vents and ducts if they are clogged with debris.
If you are without electricity and running a generator carefully follow manufacturer’s instructions to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Never run generators indoors or near open windows.
4. Clean Up Carefully
Start your cleaning by washing walls and ceilings with soap and water. (Remember, wear gloves, long sleeves and pants, goggles if you have them, and a well-fitting N-95 or similar mask). Don’t use commercial cleaners or even vinegar - they may react with compounds in the soot and ash to create hazardous chemical reactions, and you want to avoid creating additional problems. In general, you should not introduce new sources of indoor air pollution in the cleanup process, so avoid scents, chemical cleaners, air fresheners, candles and tobacco smoke.
When it comes to cleaning up ash, avoid stirring it up into the air. Vacuum floors, carpets, drapes, and furniture with a HEPA-filter vacuum. On hard surfaces, you can dampen the ash to keep it out of the air and then sweep and mop up.
You also want to make sure that any mold is removed. Remove and discard any household products that have been damaged or contaminated by heat, ash or water. Their properties may have been chemically altered in ways that make them unstable and hazardous, so when in doubt toss it out!
This is a difficult time for many families, so be sure to make your physical and emotional health a priority. If you have questions about your lung health, call the Lung Association’s HelpLine at 1-800-LUNGUSA. This free service will connect you with nurses and respiratory therapists who can answer a variety of questions.
Blog last updated: February 7, 2025
