Wildfires can leave surviving homes and their water unsafe – safety tips for residents as they return

Smoke from burning buildings and vehicles, such as Spokane, Wash., experienced in August 2026, can carry harmful pollutants into neighboring homes. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images 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…