As thousands of Californians attempt to recover and rebuild after the devastating wildfires that swept through several counties early this year, a new danger has emerged — asbestos exposure — and it lingers in the ashes of what once were homes and communities.
Public health officials are now warning residents about the serious risks in the debris left behind by the fires.
Toxic Chemicals & Asbestos Exposure
“We’re going to urge that young children not be touching any of this contaminated debris because it’s filled with lead and asbestos,” Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County director of public health, told Pasadena Now about the risks of asbestos exposure. “We’ve had meltdowns of lithium batteries. You think of your houses as being relatively safe and they are, but when they burn, there’s a lot of toxicity there.”