Wildfires Produce Additional Threats to Residents and Properties

The air quality throughout Southern California has rapidly degraded, with wildfire smoke filling the sky as far south as Mexico. The combination of smoke and high winds creates a perfect storm, increasing combustion byproducts (CBP) that can affect indoor environments and pose health risks. Smoke particulates may enter buildings or homes and persist, whether occupants are sheltered in place or evacuated.

Clark Seif Clark, Inc. (CSC) recommends essential safety guidelines to protect individuals and their families:

During the Event:

• Close doors and windows to keep the smoke outdoors.
• Close outside air (OA) dampers or turn off the air conditioning. Use fans to stay cool.
• Limit activities that may depressurize the building (e.g., stop using the clothes dryer, modify meals to avoid using kitchen exhaust fans, and refrain from using restroom exhaust fans).
• Deploy free-standing (recirculating) air filtration devices (AFDs), preferably equipped with HEPA filters.
• Limit outdoor physical activity to prevent breathing difficulties.

After the Event:

• Develop a recovery plan.
• Limit contact with surfaces and materials that may harbor smoke debris.
• Assess if interior surfaces have been impacted by settled combustion byproducts (soot, ash, char):
  •  If the residues are obvious and visible, use a finger to write “SMOKE” on various surfaces and photograph them. A flashlight aimed across the surface will make photography clearer.
  • If unsure whether smoke residues have affected the property, contact an environmental consultant and testing company like CSC to sample surfaces and provide laboratory analysis.
  • Create a plan to clean smoke-impacted surfaces, whether with professional assistance or a DIY approach.
• Replace the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system filters:
  • If filters are visibly impacted, photograph them.
  • When replacing filters, consider using the best ones (highest MERV rating) specified for the HVAC system.
• Coordinate with a team that may include:
  • Property representatives such as property managers, administrators, public information officers (PIOs), facilities/maintenance personnel, and homeowners or residents associations.
  • Contractors in specialty areas like environmental, structural, plumbing, security, electrical, elevator, restoration, haz-mat, etc.
• Recognize that there may be much to do and divide tasks into smaller steps with clear objectives and timelines.

Remember: Safety First – Stay calm, stay informed, and follow the advice of local authorities. The well-being of individuals is the top priority. Stay safe and get updates on ongoing incidents (such as Evacuation Orders, Evacuation Warnings, Evacuation Shelters, containment, acreage affected, etc.) at https://www.fire.ca.gov/Incidents.

Clark Seif Clark, Inc. (CSC) has been serving California since 1996 as a health and safety company. The environmental experts at CSC offer comprehensive indoor air quality testing and pioneered wildfire smoke impact/residue assessments for residential, commercial, and institutional properties. CSC also provides valuable disaster-ready emergency preparedness and infection control resources for healthcare professionals at long-term care facilities. A related video can be viewed at https://epic.disasterreadyaz.org/aiovg_videos/environmental-issues-in-long-term-care-facilities-wildland-fire-smoke/.

To learn more about wildfire safety, smoke impact, and other indoor air quality, environmental, health, and safety testing, visit www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com, or call 800-807-1118.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail