Managing Wildfire Smoke Exposure

Written by ISEAI’s Indoor Environmental Professional Committee
Length 1600 words | 5 minute read

Our heart goes out to those in Los Angeles county and surrounding areas who have recently been affected by the devastating wildfires, as well as other major wildfires in recent memory including the Camp fire in California and the Marshall fire in Colorado. Here we share some general considerations for dealing with wildfire smoke exposure both during and after a wildfire. While the picture of both fire and smoke damage is difficult, we hope this information helps people in the affected areas stay safer and make wise choices regarding smoke and soot exposure throughout any fire, evacuation, and through the cleanup process and beyond.

Is Wildfire Smoke Toxic?

Smoke inhalation of all kinds is a significant health and air quality concern both during and after an active fire. Wildfire smoke can additionally be highly toxic, depending on what burned. Proper precautions, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and avoidance when possible, are essential to safeguard your lungs and body during active smoke exposure and when dealing with residual smoke, soot, and ash in or around your home.

Synthetic Material Combustion:
When wildfires involve significant burning of synthetic materials, such as those found in buildings and industrial products, the resulting combustion can produce highly toxic compounds. Examples include chemicals, paints, vinyl, plastics, tires, electronics, and styrofoam. Examples of the compounds these can create when burned include dioxins, heavy metals, and furans.

These toxic compounds are often persistent and adhere to surfaces, resisting natural dissipation or simple cleaning. Such cases require detailed evaluation, professional remediation, and ongoing monitoring.

In some instances, structures exposed to severe smoke damage may require extensive remediation to the point of being unsalvageable. Toxic compounds can penetrate porous materials like drywall, wood, and porous belongings, necessitating full replacement. Smoke can infiltrate hidden areas, such as wall cavities and HVAC ductwork, making thorough cleaning and remediation particularly challenging. If the smoke contains highly toxic substances, these issues present serious safety concerns.

Natural Material Combustion:
When wildfires primarily burn natural materials such as wood and plant matter, long-term toxicity is typically less of a concern. Fires that burn natural materials and do not burn structures may more commonly be described as forest fires. Direct smoke inhalation both during and after the fire is still unhealthy and should be carefully avoided.

However, even if the wildfire appears to have occurred in a rural/forested area, evaluation by a professional is recommended, because it can be hard to know ‘what burned’ especially in areas beyond your own property or community.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

During unavoidable, active smoke exposure during a fire event, PPE should be used to reduce your exposure to the smoke.

Can I use my N95 mask for smoke protection? An N95 is better than nothing, however it does not protect against toxic gasses or very fine particles, so it is not enough protection in the event of toxic wildfire smoke.

Minimum: Among the disposable options, a P100 respirator with exhaust valve is preferred. 3M makes one that is available on Amazon, and also commonly at hardware stores. These are disposable, but more expensive than N95s.

Better: NIOSH-approved (such as 3M brand) half-face, reusable respirator or full-face respirator, depending on what you can tolerate and your level of exposure. Important: use NIOSH-approved (such as 3M) multi-gas/vapor cartridges (recognizable as pink/magenta) that are compatible with the mask to protect against toxic gasses and very fine particles. These can be ordered separately or as a bundle. They also need to be replaced once dirty, so order several pairs of filters.

Best: It is best if your respirator is individually fit-tested to you, to ensure it is not allowing airflow around the mask portion. All air should flow through the filters.

A functional test for those who can’t access a professional fit test is to briefly expose yourself to a strong smell with the respirator on, such as an essential oil. If you can smell it, your respirator is not fitting properly. As an additional check, if you briefly cover the two respirator filters with your hands, you should not be able to breathe in any air; all airflow should be stopped until you uncover the filters.

Planning:

If you live in a region with wildfire risk, it is best to make a plan for masking before the need to use masks arises, since it can be logistically difficult or impossible to find and purchase them during a fire. Order respirator(s) in advance and try them out to ensure a proper fit. You may need better (or less) protection based on your proximity and level of exposure to smoke and its remnants at different times, such as during the active fire versus afterwards. People may also find certain models more comfortable and/or easier to breathe in. Practice doing activities that you would need to use the mask for during or after a wildfire, such as walking or household chores. If you have concerns about how the mask affects your breathing once you try it out, please consult with your doctor.

Exceptions:

If you have a pulmonary or cardiovascular condition that makes breathing more difficult for you, speak with your doctor about options for masks before using one for an extended period, as some may make breathing require more effort and be inappropriate for use in people with certain medical conditions. However, be aware that smoke and particle contamination are also more dangerous for people with pulmonary and cardiovascular conditions, including asthma and COPD.

Evacuation Due to Wildfire Smoke

Note: We are primarily discussing smoke exposure, but if you are in an active fire situation, always review and abide local government orders, evacuation orders, travel restrictions and emergency personnel instructions, which will be based on local conditions.

Wildfire smoke, in addition to the fire itself, can be dangerous and toxic. If wildfire smoke is affecting your home, and you have the option to safely and legally evacuate yourself to a location unaffected by smoke (such as a relative’s home), it is often best to go ahead and take that step. When in doubt, get yourself and all household members (including pets) out.

Why? It is hard to wear PPE, such as respirators, 24 hours per day, so avoiding all smoke exposure is hard for most people to do if they remain in a location that is significantly affected by wildfire smoke. Air filtration can help and may be a good step to put in place, but it is not 100% effective – you will breathe some of the smoke-affected air before it gets to the air filter.

If you are evacuating temporarily due to wildfire smoke exposure, think about what, if any, precautions you need to put in place for your home in case you are unable or not allowed to return due to fire spread. Consult local emergency management agency websites for resources and checklists for “preparing for evacuation.”

Direct Fire or Heat Damage

If your property has been directly affected by fire or heat, the scope of damage extends beyond smoke exposure and therefore beyond the scope of this article. Homeowners and business owners whose properties have been affected by fire or heat damage should contact their insurance provider to explore evaluation and restoration options.

Additionally, it may be advisable to seek a third-party assessment from a qualified professional unaffiliated with your insurance company to ensure a comprehensive evaluation and adherence to proper restoration protocols.

For those assisting with cleanup in California (whether personally or professionally), please review the following standards for safe working conditions: Worker Health and Safety During Fire Cleanup.

Smoke Damage Evaluation Options

If your property was affected by wildfire smoke, professional evaluation for toxic compounds is highly recommended.

How to Find Fire and Smoke Professionals:

1. Insurance Company: Contact your insurance provider, as smoke damage may be a covered loss. However, consider additionally obtaining an independent assessment from a professional unaffiliated with the insurance company for an unbiased evaluation.
2. ACAC.org: Search for certified professionals such as:
   • Council-certified Fire & Smoke Damage Consultant (CFSC) – Requires 8+ years of field experience and specialized coursework.
   • Council-certified Fire & Smoke Damage Technician (CFST) – Requires 2+ years of field experience and specialized coursework.
3. IICRC.org: Search for certified professionals such as:
   • Master Fire & Smoke Restorer (MSR) – Requires 3+ years of experience and specialized coursework.
   • Journeyman Fire & Smoke Restorer – Requires 1+ year of experience and specialized coursework.

How is Wildfire Soot/Smoke Remediated?

After the evaluation or assessment, an appropriate remediation plan can be created. Fire and smoke restoration techniques, including ventilation, air filtration, and small particle cleaning of affected building materials, surfaces, and contents may be involved. Additionally, specialized cleaning products and methods may be needed to remove ‘sticky’ byproducts from non-porous surfaces.

It is important to know that unfortunately, not all materials can be remediated from significant and/or toxic smoke exposure. Porous materials in particular may need to be contained, removed and discarded instead. Porous materials commonly include drywall, unfinished wood, and upholstered furniture.

The individualized evaluation or assessment by your fire and smoke damage professional will help you to determine the level of smoke exposure at your property, the level of toxicity, and how extensive the remediation efforts will need to be in order to safely re-occupy the property.

Ideally, any ‘cleanup’ efforts – whether professional or DIY – should happen only after an evaluation of smoke damage and toxicity has been completed. Again, anyone involved in cleanup efforts of any kind, including just smoke or soot, should be aware of the California OSHA standards for fire cleanup safety.

Additional Considerations for Medically-Sensitive Individuals

If you are medically sensitive to mold, particulates, or chemicals, a more thorough evaluation and tailored remediation plan is recommended following wildfire smoke exposure. While there is no specific certification for medically-sound fire and smoke remediation, inquire about the experience of professionals in handling medically-sensitive clients. Seek professionals who prioritize health by implementing enhanced evaluation and remediation protocols. Ensure the plan addresses your unique needs and includes criteria for determining successful remediation.

Additional reading and resources:

Non-profit medical org NAEM has free resources for medical professionals and the public on clinical/medical approaches to reducing and treating wildfire smoke exposure: https://envmedicine.com/wildfire-smoke/

Free 1-hour wildfire smoke webinar by ISEAI professional members: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKbEpbkCbXw