Wildfires can contaminate nearby homes and water systems – here’s what Spokane’s returning residents need to know

A home might appear fine, but toxic contamination isn’t always evident by sight or smell. An engineer share safety tips for the recovery.

By: Andrew J. Whelton, Purdue University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: August 11, 2026

Words: 1,175

Last Updated: 6 days, 8 hours ago

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By Andrew J. Whelton, Purdue University

When fire evacuation orders are lifted and residents start returning to burned neighborhoods, many people assume “cleared to return” means “safe.” It rarely does.

As an environmental engineer who has worked with communities recovering from some of the most destructive wildfires in U.S. history, I have seen the same pattern repeatedly: Families return to still-standing homes, turn on taps without knowing whether plumbing has been contaminated, …

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