Wildfires can leave surviving homes and their water unsafe – safety tips for residents as they return
Officials say invisible smoke, ash and water contamination can persist after cleanup, and up to 34% of properties still showed hazardous contamination in past wildfires.
- Washington Secretary of Health Dennis Worsham urged residents returning to fire-damaged homes in Spokane to prioritize safety, warning that "cleared to return" does not mean properties are actually safe.
- Smoke and toxic ash settle in ductwork, walls, and furniture after fires, while fire-damaged pipes allow hazardous contaminants like benzene to enter water systems undetected.
- For cleanup activities, Worsham recommends N95 fitted masks, calling them the "very best option" to block ash particles that surgical and fabric masks cannot filter.
- Residents should have private wells inspected before drinking, as contaminants accumulate in stagnant plumbing after 72 hours, requiring professional testing to confirm safety.
- Secretary Kennedy signed a federal public health emergency declaration, providing hospitals flexibility through an 1135 waiver tied to Medicaid services to support ongoing recovery operations.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Idaho Press
goSkagitWildfires can contaminate nearby homes and water systems – here’s what Spokane’s returning residents need to know
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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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