Spokane wildfire evacuees return home, but it's 'still a hazmat situation'
Residents of Spokane, Washington, are returning to neighborhoods destroyed by wildfires, only to face significant environmental hazards. Officials warn that the burn zones remain toxic, requiring extensive cleanup before rebuilding can safely occur.
Why it matters
The aftermath of wildfires presents long-term public health risks that often go overlooked during the immediate emergency response phase.
SPOKANE, Wash. — Just weeks after wildfires destroyed hundreds of homes in some of the worst blazes in Washington state history, most evacuees have been allowed to return to the burn zones in and around Spokane.
But there are mounting questions about whether it's safe yet.
"It is a very challenging thing," says Sarah Nuss, the city's director of emergency management. "While folks are allowed to go back into those areas there is still a hazmat situation going on. The burned houses and damaged places are going to have things like lithium ion batteries, hazardous chemicals."
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