People returning to their homes in northern California after fleeing the region’s devastating wildfires are facing another hazard: the cleanup process. By one estimate, the fires produced as much air pollution in just a few days as California’s cars do in a year. And with entire neighborhoods scorched in some areas, the ash left behind from the fires isn’t just from furniture and two-by-fours, but also toxic materials like asbestos and garages full of paint and pesticides. So, what are the potential health risks after fires like the ones in California, and how can they be mitigated? First, for those returning to their homes, Geoffrey Plumlee, an environmental health expert with the US Geological Survey, recommends checking out CalEPA’s fact sheets on minimizing exposure to toxic materials. “The white ash that’s left behind that has a lot of these alkali hydroxides can be very fluffy and easily disturbed and picked up and breathed in,” he says. “So you want to wear a high-quality N95 du
