PASADENA, Calif. — The City of Pasadena advises residents to be aware of possible health hazards when returning to their properties, especially if they live in or near areas impacted by Eaton Fire.
Even if your home or property was not damaged by Eaton Fire, ash and debris may have blown indoors. Ash can irritate your skin, eyes, nose, and throat; make it difficult to breathe; and can exasperate asthma. Everyone should wear an N95 or P100 mask when cleaning their home, even if they have not been directly impacted by Eaton Fire. For those with respiratory conditions and other pre-existing conditions, consider masking up and speaking to your healthcare provider for further advice. Monitor Los Angeles County’s air quality at the South Coast Air Quality Management District website.
Residents whose properties have been impacted by Eaton Fire are encouraged by the City of Pasadena to use their discretion and consider receiving professional assistance to help ensure that their property is suitable for their return. If you have any doubts on the safety of your property, contact licensed professionals for support and guidance listed at the California Contactors State Licensing Board.
The following guidance is ONLY for properties that have suffered smoke damage AND do not have fire damaged structures, including yellow and red tagged structures. Pasadena Building Inspectors continue to conduct Structure Safety Assessments for all structures within the wind and fire impacted areas, and colored placards have been posted to each assessed property. The placards correspond to the structure’s safety status.
DO NOT ENTER your property if your property has been damaged directly by fire and/or has been yellow or red tagged.
Before re-entry, sniff for gas. If you detect natural or propane gas, or hear a hissing noise, leave the property immediately and call the fire department after you reach safety. If you have a propane tank system, turn off all valves and contact a propane supplier to check the system before use.
Be careful when moving throughout your home and property. Damaged objects or areas of your property, such as furniture or stairs, may be unstable. Be very cautious when moving. Avoid holding, pushing, or leaning against damaged building parts. If power is out, use a flashlight. Do not use any open flame, including candles, to inspect for damage or serve as alternate lighting. Disconnect and check all appliances for water damage before using them.
If you return home and your house smells like smoke, but does not appear to be fire damaged, follow these tips:
PROTECT YOUR HEALTH
- Wear a well-fitted NIOSH approved respirator (such as an N95 or P100) when you clean up your home.
- Wear gloves, safety goggles, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and shoes with socks to avoid contact with ash or debris. Pasadena Public Health Department is distributing masks until January 19th. If you get ash on your skin, in your eyes, or in your mouth, wash it off as soon as you can.
- People with heart or lung disease (including asthma), older adults, and pregnant women should avoid cleanup activities as much as possible.
- Keep children and pets away from ash and cleanup activities.
CLEAN INDOOR AIR
Bring in fresh air:
- Air out your indoor spaces as much as possible by opening windows and doors. If you have minimal smoke smell/damage inside your home and the area outside your home smells worse, do not take this step. Check the air quality in the Los Angeles Area on the South Coast AQMD website.
Check your HVAC or furnace:
- Most systems have filters (the “blue wool” ones) that are not very the smallest toxic air particles that can penetrate deepest into our lungs. Use MERV 11 or 12-rated filters and add 1” foam around the edges or tape over any gaps in the filter holder. These filters have a white cloth-like material and are pleated for a larger surface area to capture particles and to prevent a significant pressure drop. Change your furnace or HVAC filter monthly until the smell goes away.
- Clean your HVAC ducts. The evidence is limited on how this impacts general indoor air quality, but many ducts are poorly sealed, poorly maintained, and have poor filtration so can get contaminated.
Use air cleaners to help remove particles and odors:
- Consider purchasing portable air cleaners with both a HEPA filter and activated carbon filter. The carbon filter is important as it will remove most toxic air particles from the air. The HEPA filter will remove 99.97% of toxic air particles that can penetrate deepest into your lungs. Keep air cleaners on until the smells go away and change the filters according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- You may need to change the carbon filters more frequently since they get used up.
- You may want to change out the cabin air filter in your car if it was exposed to smoke and smells.
Deep clean the surfaces of your home:
- Soap and water are adequate to clean ash from hard surfaces, including walls. Do not use harsh chemical cleaners or vinegar as they can react with chemicals in the ash.
- Gentle sweeping of indoor surfaces, followed by wet mopping, is the best way to clean indoors.
- Do not use shop vacuums or regular household vacuums as these do not filter small particles and can blow particles into the air. If available, HEPA-filter vacuums can filter out small particles and can be used.
- Commercial cleaning may be needed for carpet, upholstery, and window treatments.
- Shower regularly throughout the day when cleaning areas with ash.
If your property has suffered direct fire damage, you will need to await information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is the lead agency for Phase 1 of the Household Hazardous Waste Removal. More information about this process can be found at the Fire Debris Removal Program website.
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