Safety Precautions and Ash Exposure Prevention

2545 Santa Anita in Altadena (Photo – Melissa Michelson)

Pasadena Public Health Department urges the community to take action to prevent Eaton Fire ash exposure.

By News Desk

With some Eaton Fire evacuation orders being lifted, residents may be further exposed to ash. Being around ash may irritate your eyes, nose, or skin; and can cause coughing, asthma attacks, difficulty breathing, and other health effects.

Indoor and outdoor surfaces with ash can be inhaled if it becomes airborne, and ash from burned structures is generally more hazardous than forest ash. Refer to the following instructions and tips to help reduce your exposure to ash:

Prevent Ash Exposure

• If you get ash on your skin, in your eyes, or in your mouth, wash it off as soon as possible.
• People with heart or lung disease such as asthma, older adults, children, and pregnant people should use special caution around ash.
• Children should not be nearby while you clean up ash, and do not allow children to play in ash. Clean ash off toys before use.
• Pets should not be nearby while you clean up ash, and clean ash off pets and other animals. Keep pets away from contaminated areas.
• Wear gloves, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes and socks, and goggles to avoid skin and eye contact. Contact with wet ash can cause chemical burns or skin irritation. Change your shoes and clothing before you leave the cleanup site to avoid tracking ash offsite, into your car, or other places.

Protect Your Lungs

• Wear a tight-fitting respirator that filters ash particles from the air you breathe. Wear a respirator that has the words “NIOSH” and either “N95” or “P100” printed on it. These have two straps and are available online, and at many hardware stores and pharmacies.
• Buy respirators in a size that can be tightened over your mouth and nose with a snug seal to your face. Surgical masks and one-strap dust masks will not protect your lungs. They are not designed to seal tightly to the face.
• If you have heart or lung disease, talk to your doctor before wearing a respirator or working around ash.

Ash Cleanup

• Wear protective gear while cleaning up ash. Wear a respirator, gloves, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes and socks, and goggles to avoid skin and eye contact.
• Avoid stirring or sifting through ash and avoid actions that kick ash particles into air, as much as you can.
• When vacuuming ash, use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA)-type vacuum to clean dusty surfaces. Do not use a typical household vacuum or a shop vacuum, which will send the collected dust or ash out into the air.
• Do not use leaf blowers or do anything else that will put ash into air.
• Before sweeping ash off surfaces, wet down ash with as little water as you can. Continue to use caution while cleaning the wet ash, as contact with wet ash can cause chemical burns or skin irritation.
• On surfaces with a lot of ash, mist ash with water to keep dust down, then sweep. Wet mop area after sweeping. Avoid dry sweeping.
• On areas lightly dusted with ash, use a damp cloth or wet mop.
• Change your shoes and clothing before you leave the cleanup site to avoid tracking ash offsite, into your car or other places.

Ash Disposal

• Throw away collected ash in regular trash.
• Store ash in plastic bags or other containers to prevent it from being stirred up.
• If you think any waste is hazardous (including asbestos), contact your local hazardous waste authorities regarding appropriate disposal.
• Avoid washing ash into storm drains.

The Planning & Community Development Department offers the following reminder: Fire damaged structures and debris are extremely hazardous and unsafe. Any free-standing portions of structures including chimneys, walls, and overhanging remanence are potential hazards. Debris and ash may include lead, asbestos, arsenic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins or other hazardous materials. Stay away from any unsafe structures and fire debris. The Planning & Community Development Department’s Building & Safety Division is continuing to conduct city-wide structural assessments. Please contactBuilding & Safety at (626) 744-4200 or email 2025Disaster@CityOfPasadena.net to request a structural assessment for damages caused by the fire and tree failures.