MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. — It's been a week since the Gray Fire sparked, and for the past couple of days, people have been returning to Medical Lake to clean up what's left of their homes.
People have gone through debris and are disposing of what they can. However, the Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) says cleaning up debris from the fires might be more dangerous than residents think.
SRHD Health Officer Dr. Francisco Velázquez says there's chemicals in the air that citizens can't see.
"Things can melt in plastics and other things can generate some toxic fumes," Dr. Velázquez said. "There could be chemicals that could have leaked because of containers cracking."
One of the chemicals that concerns public health officials is asbestos. Fire doesn't destroy it and that's one reason they are telling people to be careful.
Lisa Woodard is the communications manager for the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency. She says asbestos can cause some serious damage.
"Exposure to asbestos has been linked to lung diseases, cancers and other illnesses," Woodard said.
But, there are ways people can stay safe.
"If you're going back to your property, wear the proper clothing. I would suggest work with jeans, long sleeves, gloves, face masks, protective eye wear if possible," Dr. Velázquez said.
At the new disaster assistance center, the Red Cross is giving out safe cleaning boxes so people can safely sift through the debris.
"If you're not sure if your property had asbestos, make sure that you check that before you start removing any debris," Dr. Velázquez said.
When it comes to getting rid of debris, the Graham Road Landfill in Medical Lake is the only place in Spokane where people can do so. Residents must properly seal and label the debris to show whether it contains asbestos or not.
More information about asbestos, cleanup requirements, and guidance for protecting yourself in areas where asbestos may be present, are available here.
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