The Fires: Air Quality, Public Health & What to Do Next

THE FIRES: AIR QUALITY, PUBLIC HEALTH AND WHAT TO DO NEXT

January 15, 2025

Coalition for Clean Air Website: ccair.org

MEETING DESCRIPTION

The Coalition for Clean Air will host a webinar that will provide information and answer questions about air quality, public health, and the response to the fires in and around Los Angeles. This is a 90-minute webinar on Wednesday at 3 p.m. that will have several air quality and public health experts to talk and answer questions about the Los Angeles fires. The webinar is free and open to all, so please feel free to pass this along to anyone that would benefit from this information and may be interested in attending. Register now.

SPEAKERS

Dr. John Balmes, Professor of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, member of the California Air Resources Board, author of >200 papers or chapters on occupational and environmental respiratory disease-related topics
Ed Avol, Professor Emeritus, USC School of Medicine, co-author of the USC Children's Health Study, author or co-author of >150 articles on air pollution chemistry and health effects
Prof. Gina Solomon, Chief, Division of Occupational, Environmental & Climate Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, former Deputy Secretary for Health and Science, California Environmental Protection Agency
Dr. Rania Sabty, Independent Contractor, Kleinerman and Associates, occupational health and safety expert
Tim Dye and Story Schwantes, TD Environmental Services, air quality monitoring experts
Jane Williams, Executive Director, California Communities Against Toxics, award-winning environmental health and justice expert
Dr. Joseph Lyou, President & CEO, Coalition for Clean Air, 12-year member of the South Coast AQMD Governing Board

MAIN MESSAGE

Smoke, soot and ash contain many toxic chemicals. Avoid exposure to smoke, soot and ash.

LINKS

List of CARB-Certified Air Cleaning Devices

Airnow.gov After a Fire / Returning Home

Airnow.gov Fire and Smoke Map

South Coast AQMD Air Quality

UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program

Respiratory Protection During Fire Clean Up

CDPH Emergency Preparedness Office - N95 Respirator Masks - Questions Answered

AIR QUALITY: Where to find the most reliable and timely info about air quality.

Tim Dye + Story Schwantes, TD Enviro

What are some of the pollutants we’re concerned about that we can quickly access data on?

“Criteria” air pollutants measured continuously: PM 2.5, PM 10, CO, Ozone. These are measured continuously.
Hazardous Air Pollutants: Hundreds of gases and particles often more challenging to measure.
AQI: Color coded: takes real time data and converts to real time color coded index
Air Quality Data Sources During and After Wildfires

AirNow.gov

PM2.5, PM10 and Ozone
If using the tool to make a decision, use common sense. If there’s significant ash on the ground, reconsider having children play outside for example, until it’s dispersed.
Forecast AQI - shows multiple days.
Shows AQI for PM2.5, Ozone and PM10. Willshow the worst of the values.

EPA Fire and Smoke Map: Fire.airnow.gov

Shows only PM2.5.
Shows data from air quality sensors. Helpful to make health based decisions. EPA tests and ensures quality control with data. Trusted data source.
Map shows extent of the fires and shows smaller scale trends in data (shows recent few hours).
Tool can show smoke plumes and major areas of concern where fires are burning.

South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD)

Map shows Current Air Quality Data (All Pollutants)
Website includes forecast maps of AQI.
Includes PM2.5 and PM10 (dust particles).

Note that there are locations with no measurements that won’t be accounted for.

TOXICS: Smoke, soot, and ash contain many toxic chemicals. What are they?

Jane WIlliams

Dangers from Exposure to Ash from the Fires in Los Angeles (Jane Williams, Executive Director, California Communities Against Toxics)

Critical Questions to ask:

What public health interventions can be taken now to prevent more damage to both the health and cultural values of the people of Los Angeles?
What can prior societal experience with urban fires teach us about how best to move forward?

We have lots of experience with this post 911: The disaster after the disaster.
This is the largest urban fire in the country’s history. This fire is over 56 square miles. Will likely reach 75 at the end of this week. Comparable to burning down the entire city of San Francisco.
Comparable to dropping a bomb on a city.
What are you breathing? Hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen chloride, isocyanates, VOCs, metals.
According to Niosh, remnants of burned residential structures may contain:

Respirable crystalline silica - typically quartz - from demolished concrete used in foundations, walls and roofing tiles
Items like home electronics and melted vehicles are sources of potential exposures to toxic metals such as lead, cadmium and aluminum
Many homes have plastic furniture and vinyl building materials which give off a host of VOCs when burned as well as hydrogen cyanide
PAHs are potentially carcinogenic substances found in soot or burn ash.
Niosh stresses that asbestos may also be present in fire debris, depending on the age of the affected buildings

Challenge: People want to return to their homes. Many have returned to their homes without PPE.
Challenge to balance the competing interests of the desire for re-entry and re-occupation with the physics of ash inhalation.
We do not emphasize enough that you are breathing in particles you cannot see. The AQI does not tell us they’re there.
We are in a race against time to stop the disaster after the disaster and intercept these exposures that we already know are occurring.
We miscalculated, misunderstood, and let the inertia for re-entry, repair and restoration override common sense health protections in New York after 9/11.
Pregnant women are at the highest risk.

PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACTS: What impact can these chemicals have on my friends, family and me?

Dr. John Balmes. Professor Emeritus, Pulmonary Clinical Care / Health Effects of Air Pollution + Wildfire Smoke

Clear Evidence of an association between wildfire smoke and respiratory health. Every study shows risk of exacerbation with risk of exposure to wildfire smoke. Contending with both forest material + toxic material. It’s worse than a strict forest fire.
Risk of chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Exacerbation of COPD associated with fire smoke.
There’s a link between fire smoke and respiratory infections (bacterial, and viral).
Fine particles pose 10x greater risk (emergency room visits, etc. for asthma or respiratory infections).
Covid: Excess Covid 19 cases and deaths due to fine particulate matter exposure during the 2020 wildfires in the US AND NOW (especially when people are evacuating, in shelters and aggregate shared situations with exposure to infections). This is part of the disaster after the disaster.
There’s evidence of acute cardiovascular effects connected to increased risk with fire smoke. Wherever fire smoke, there’s an increased risk of heart issues and lung issues.

Dr. Gina Solomon / Drinking Water:

Contamination is an issue because fires jump. The same drinking water system serves the burned and unburned homes. Areas where there’s actual fire burns is concerning.
Two issues:

Excessive sediment contamination (run off / contaminants on the ground can run into underground system): The risk is potential microbial contamination. Boil water advisory works for this.
VOC contamination: Boil water does not work for these, which includes: Benzene, smoke in de-watered service lines. This happens when service lines de-water. Need to flush lines repeatedly. Replace severely contaminated lines. Do not drink, shower or use this water.

Expect at least a 6 month process in Los Angeles to investigate and clean out contamination.
VOCs come from PVC pipes, polyethylene products and others from any burning source. The smoke is horrendously contaminated.
How far from the fire is safe? No one answer. Smoke moves in different ways. It can move for hundreds of miles. Close areas can be spared given the direction of the wind and further areas can be impacted given the direction of the wind.

Ed Avol, Engineer

We must think about the distribution of sizes of particulate matter.
Once in bloodstream, can circulate through every organ system in the body. Heart and lungs. Particles are so small, they can evade mechanisms that the body has to defend it, and can get into the brain and enter every system of the body.
Concern with this: effects on ability to pay attention in school, ability to focus, later in life dementia and alzheimers, quality of life. Other organisms: eyes from smoke. And metabolic system.
And, mental health. Traumatic. Can feed into physical anxieties. For example: those with asthma: emotional component can trigger episodes. Other impacts: depression and anxiety.
Wide range of exposures.
How far must we be? It all depends, largely on where the wind blows. There are small particles you cannot see. Think about your senses: if you can smell or see the smoke, this is a hazard. Stay inside, reduce exercise. Use filtration system. On the larger size of the particle spectrum, look at the ash, even if you’re not in immediate vicinity of fire. Stay informed, clean up and reduce exposure (with protective equipment). Hose down, sweep up.
It’s all relative risk.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT: How do I best protect myself and my family?

Rania Sabty, The Fires: Air Quality, Public Health and What to do Next: Personal Protective Equipment

Once areas are declared clear, access can be transferable to the public. How do we protect recovery workers (secondary responders)?
Fire and Smoldering Debris: 25% of fire related deaths in the US are caused by smoldering related to residential home fires.
We must be careful with the debris we’re handling.
Hazardous Materials Associated with Residential Wildfire Debris

Asbestos, ash, gasoline cans/fuel containers, lead acid batteries, lithium ion batteries, paints and thinners, moldy materials, munitions, lab equipment, air conditioners, fire retardants, PFAs, transformers.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Depending on the site, any of the following PPE may be recommended:

Respirator ranging from an N95 to a powered air purifying respirators. N95 or KN95 have limitations. N95 respirators approved by NIOSH but KN95 not approved by Niosh.
Protective clothing from coveralls to Tyveks. Long sleeve shirts and pants. You’ll run into debris and things that cut (wires).
Protective footwear with steel toe (or sturdy boots with reinforced toes) and insole.
Disposable cut/abrasive resistant or leather work gloves. Chemical resistant gloves may be required from some work.
Fully enclosed, wrap around goggles (better for ash) or safety glasses.
Ear protection in noisy areas (ear plugs or ear muffs).
Hard hat and safety helmets. Depends on the state of the property that you’re walking.
Baby wipes. DO NOT TAKE CONTAMINANTS BACK TO YOUR FAMILIES OR HOMES. Wipe selves, shoes, do not carry things home. As you go to support others, be careful of what is on your shoes, on your hands and on your clothes. Use baby wipes to wipe your hands and bottoms of shoes. Don’t get that on your car and bring that to home / others.
Do not take contaminants back to your family, care or home.

Dusts containing fire retardant, ash, asbestos, silica and other toxins. Considerations + Precautions:

Airborne contaminants are more than just gas.
An N95 or greater respirator may be acceptable for some activities.
Vacuum: be mindful not to resuspend ash, it will recreate particles. Don’t aggressively dry sweep. No leaf blowers.
Replace cartridges.
P100 respirator will filter more than just particles. Reduce exposure to PM but not all pollutants (eg VOCs, gasses).
Facial hair and can get in the way of any mask.

After a wildfire - safe clean up

N95 or P100 (tight fitting, disposable)
Mist lightly with water and then sweep gently, helpful with broom or wet mop
Wash off ash from vehicles and outdoor toys
Collect ash into a plastic bag and dispose in the regular trash.
Be sure to have an up to date tetanus immunization. Very likely to get cut: Reduce risk of infection. Renew every 10 years. If in doubt, get it, it won’t hurt.
Careful with stagnant water. Wash and decontaminate self and anything in contact.

Filtration:

A filter on a square fan or box fan, make sure it has the capacity of MERV 20 or more. The more pleats it has, the more it’s able to filter small particles. MERV 13 or a more higher rating, 14, 15 or 16.
How you position the air filter is important. Close windows and doors. Must be down-wind from homemade filter at the entry of the wind to your home. Can only filter so much but they are helpful.
Home based filters with box fan: Never leave it alone while running it because it can overheat the motor and start a fire.. These are not filtering out gases or air toxics. They’re f iltering out particles. Be aware of the differences.

LESSONS LEARNED FROM LAHAINA + TWIN TOWERS / 911

Jane Williams.

We have a 23% increase in suicide rates for 3 years after disasters.
Must be aware of depression, anxiety and PTSD - significant contributor to morbidity and mortality in a situation like this.
EPA head previously incorrectly misled public re: air quality as safe: this contributed to one of the largest public health disasters in country’s history.
Of the half a million people who were exposed to toxic air after the 911 disaster. Of those, 130,000 people enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program (meaning their health was directly impacted). This was one of the largest public health disasters in our country’s history. We are faced with this same problem in Los Angeles now - we must intercept these exposures.
The public health messaging was wrong. We must take this seriously.
Even if fires were put out today, the amount of ash that has been generated is so enormous. That ash is going to need to be excavated, so exposures are most likely to extend for years. It will take us two years to get ash excavated. And while excavating ash, you are reintraining chemicals into the air. A disaster of the type that we’re facing, only occurs during an act of war (in which civilians are evacuated). But that’s not happening for Los Angeles, only fire impacted areas.
It’s rare for an entire city to burn to the ground. Usually only happens during times of war, when civilian population are evacuated.
The city of Los Angeles refused to take government action to reject price gouging / disaster capitalism.
In Lahaina, President Bush walked down a burned street in a now infamous photo (one hour after clearing) with no masks and no gloves, with Hawaiian Royalty.
Rushing to return to normalcy ends up exposing people to horrific public health impacts, whether it’s people going back to their properties without PPE. Or, working workers being hired to clear their land. Or workers who are clearing streets.
If you re-enter the zone affected by the ash / debris or can be exposed to the windblow ash you should wear a mask that protects you.
Impacts from World Trade Center: acute traumatic injuries, airway and digestive disorders and mental health conditions (stress, anxiety, depression, ptsd), cancers.
There is deep concern with re-opening schools in disaster zones.
When to return to collect my things from my home if it has burned? There’s a deep personal and sociological drive. If you have to go back to your home and it’s covered in ash, there are good and worse ways. Wear PPE to minimize your health risk. If you’re sifting through a burned home/school/business, you must be aware of the toxic contaminants / sharp objects, etc. you must wear PPE.

MAKING TOUGH CHOICES

If going back to your home to clean it up: wearing PPE will help minimize health risk. It won’t eliminate the risk completely. Sifting through burned home/school/businesses, you must be aware of the toxic contaminants.
Contaminant near freeways and in classrooms: schools need to have HVAC system in place. Keep windows and doors closed to help protect kids while inside. Must have MERV filter 13 and above. Reduce amount of time outdoors. Through COVID, many schools updated HVAC systems and updated MERV filtration systems. LAUSED has been careful re: where students will return to and relocating students to other school. Google: LAUSDknowyourairnetwork
Difficult to give absolutes: There is no zero risk.
When is it safe for children to return back to school? Ensure the school has an operational air purification system + limited access to outside and monitoring airnow.gov and websites what will give indicators. Many school districts have reduced levels of exercise outside which will reduce ventilation and impacts. Check the windy app or Watch Duty app to assess where the wind is moving in your area to assess the range of the wing.
No guidance re: how far to be from a fire, it’s a function of how the wind is blowing.
You don’t need to be only concerned about air quality only during fires, but all the time.
Exposure to air pollution damages lungs in children. And can have long term damage to lungs (whether through wildfires or not).

OTHER/Q&A

Ash removal will take 1-2 years. A city has burned down (50 square miles). We must take precautions and protect our breathing zone.
It’s the degree to which you’re exposed and how much you’re exposed that makes a difference.
The particles that are larger will settle. Once it rains, it will all settle down. Contaminants will settle over time. Small particles will deposit over time. The risk becomes local. More concern about returning to sites with continued smoldering in several weeks. Take care where you go running/exercise. Make appropriate choices. If the rain comes or humidity goes up, safer to be outside.
Schools must have HVAC systems. And filters MUST BE changed. Same with homes.
Timeline for safe air: It’s never safe and less safe when there are active fires. How long do chemical toxins like lead and asbestos stay in the air? Lead deposits fairly quickly but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t spread far.
Contaminants under the right conditions can travel very far.
AQI does show info about air flow. Explore if wind is blowing your direction.
Explore what’s happening in your area. Air toxics not generally provided so there are other mechanisms to access.
Why are we paying attention to the AQI if it doesn’t work for this? It’s based on criteria pollutants. In that context, for particles of a certain size and certain gases, based on health data for wide range of the population, it’s appropriate to track. Not appropriate to track for fires because it doesn’t catch everything, but it does have some merit in the context of the criteria pollutants.
Do not eat any local produce around any of the fire areas. There’s deposition.
We must consider the sheer magnitude of the ash. The only time we’ve had this before is comparable to war time. We’re talking 50 square miles of ash. It’s very hard to move that much ash and not have it get re-entrained in the air over the next couple of years as you’re cleaning the ash.
Small children: too small to wear masks or masks are not made for them: under age 3, keep inside in an air purified environment as best course of action. Consider a clean room. Rather than having the capacity to purify entire house, identify a room in the house where you spend the most time (family room, den, etc.) and put an air purification system in the room with an appropriately sized filter system for room for children/others to exercise, etc.
What types of filters: HEPA filters and carbon filters to trap many of the gases.
Ensure gardeners aren’t using leaf blowers for now. Zero emission alternative is a rake and broom.
Pets: Treat pets like children. Keep them in a clean room. Wipe paws after being inside.
How many miles from a fire is safe? It’s a matter of degree of exposure to smoke, soot or ash. Any exposure is not a safe level of exposure. There’s no line to draw. Governed by direction the wind is blowing (and many other factors).
This is unprecedented. At the Twin Towers: 400,000 people exposed and that area is tiny compared to the amount of debris and ash and square miles and mass. Just the mass of material that we just burned is considerably greater. This magnitude is higher than that of Twin Towers.
In schools: No HVAC, just air filter. Is this sufficient? Possibly. Consider where it is placed, and capacity of volume that circulates enough air proportional to the size of the room. Review specs of air purifier (how much it pulls in and out). Ensure it doesn’t produce ozone toxins.
Beaches: will the particles and ash stay in the sand? There’s lead in the bay from Exide. We’ll inevitably end up with rains and that stuff is going to end up in the storm drains and then in the ocean. Stay away from storm drains, especially after it rains (matter of good practice).
This is unprecedented.