09-04-2025
How to Ensure Clean Air in Your Home After a Wildfire
All products are independently selected by the LA Times Studios content team. If you make a purchase through one of the links on our site, we may earn a commission.
After a wildfire near your home or business, cleaning the air in your property is essential for maintaining a safe and healthy environment. This article outlines key steps such as ventilating the area, using HEPA filters, and monitoring air quality. By following these guidelines, you can effectively reduce harmful particles, smoke odors, and wildfire-related pollutants that may linger in your indoor space.
The actions you take when you return to your property after a wildfire are crucial for ensuring safety and beginning the cleaning process. These early steps for improved airflow can help reduce exposure to dangerous pollutants and lay the groundwork for more thorough cleanup efforts.
Assessing air quality involves monitoring particulate matter—tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in the air that may include ash, dust, bacteria, asbestos, pollen, and other pollutants. Wildfires can drastically increase particulate levels both outdoors and indoors. Devices like PurpleAir sensors provide real-time data, allowing for quick detection of changes in air quality conditions.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which contribute to lingering smoke odors, can settle on surfaces and re-evaporate into the indoor air when temperatures rise.
To accurately evaluate overall indoor air quality, assessments should account for both particulate concentrations and VOC levels.
High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters play a crucial role in enhancing the quality of indoor air following a fire incident. These highly efficient filters have the ability to trap as much as 99.97% of particles suspended in the air, including those from smoke, dust, and allergens. Select an appropriately sized air purifier for the space to ensure comprehensive purification.
To effectively neutralize smoke odors post-fire, HEPA filters can be used alongside activated carbon filters which target volatile organic compounds (VOCs), thus helping eliminate unwanted smells from burnt materials.
Devices such as the Blueair Blue Pure 211+ and Blue Pure 411+, are recognized for their ability to effectively eradicate smoke particles and odors from the air.
Using natural substances that neutralize odors can refresh the environment by targeting smells entrapped in materials and on surfaces:
In the aftermath of a fire, obtaining professional assistance is critical for ensuring safety and proper restoration:
