Northern Nevada Public Health is currently asking people to not enter areas that have been damaged by wildfire, but Chad Kingsley, the district health officer, says that they understand that homes and neighborhoods are in the impacted area.
He urges people to be mindful of the unique safety risks that are present when structures are damaged, especially hazardous materials.
“We have not only the paint or the materials that are used within a home, we also have other materials inside of our homes, such as pesticides, lithium batteries,” he said. “So those chemicals then are condensed or distributed through the ash, as well as the wood or anything that remains.”
If residents do come across any hazardous materials on a fire-damaged property, they shouldn’t touch them, and should try to avoid doing anything that could disturb them or lead to them spreading. Children and pets should be kept away from the area.
As well as being potentially toxic, ash can cause breathing issues and irritate the eyes and skin when it gets into the air. Anyone working around ash should wear a respirator and avoid any activities that could send fine particles up into the air.
Residents should not remove any debris. Kingsley says that the first phase of FEMA’s response will be debris removal, and the work will begin once they find a contractor, potentially as early as next week.
He also recommends that individuals who live near affected areas replace their air filters and ensure their homes are properly sealed to keep air quality safe.
