SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 10: Fire smoke from the Palisades fire is seen from Santa … [+]
The USDA warns that wildfires, such as those raging in the Los Angeles area, can make food at home unsafe to eat. And given that wildfires can send plumes of smoke up to 14 miles (23 kilometers) into the stratosphere — affecting households thousands of miles away — even homes that are relatively far from the fire’s vicinity can be at risk.
Driven by strong Santa Ana winds and dry vegetation following a prolonged drought, wildfires broke out in Los Angeles on Tuesday, January 7, burning tens of thousands of acres and going down in history as some of the most destructive wildfires in California history. . Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna described the devastation as the aftermath of an atomic bomb.
Food poisoning occurs when individuals consume food or drink contaminated with bacteria, viruses or other harmful pathogens. Smoke, extreme heat, and firefighting and other chemicals can carry these harmful pollutants, affecting homes thousands of miles away from the flames.
“Wildfires primarily affect the west coast and northern states in the United States,” says Mark Davidson, Marketing and Technical Materials Manager at Camfil, a global provider of indoor air filtration solutions and clean air systems. “However, smoke from these fires can be carried very far by the wind.”
Wildfire smoke is more toxic than typical air pollution, as it contains harmful gases and particles from the burning of not only vegetation, but also synthetic materials such as plastic, rubber and treated asphalt in buildings, cars and homes. In Los Angeles, fine particles recently peaked at dangerous levels of 40-100 micrograms per cubic meter – which is between 8 and 20 times the maximum recommended levels set by the World Health Organization.
The danger lies in the smoke of the fire itself. According to Camfil, more than 90% of the mass of wildfire smoke consists of PM2.5 particles – ultra-fine pollutants smaller than 2.5 microns.
These particles can travel far in air currents and harm residents miles away. They can penetrate common food packaging, including plastic wrap, cardboard boxes and screw-top containers. Once contaminated, food cannot be decontaminated, posing risks to human health.
90% of the mass of fire smoke consists of PM2.5 particles – ultra fine pollutants smaller than … [+]
The Los Angeles Department of Public Health advises disposing of plastic water bottles covered in ash, as particles can contaminate the lids. Food exposed to ash and not stored in waterproof or airtight containers should also be thrown out, while glass or metal jars can be cleaned and used.
Wildfires also release harmful gases, such as nitrogen oxides and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that, after infiltrating indoors—often through HVAC systems without adequate filtration—can accumulate on food and food surfaces through deposition of particles.
Camfil advises that household smoke hazards can be mitigated by using “a combination of carbon filtration to control odor and gaseous pollutants and high-efficiency PM2.5 air filters”.
Because of their proximity to densely populated areas, the Los Angeles fires have destroyed thousands of structures. Fire and other chemicals released from burning substances, such as construction chemicals and plastics, can contaminate food and cookware, leaving behind toxins that cannot be washed away.
Fires can cause chemicals to vaporize, turning them into gases, while others bind to particles. The intense heat and burning process can also change existing chemicals, breaking them down or combining them into new, potentially harmful compounds.
Fire retardants like Phos-Chek used to control fires in Los Angeles also contribute significant amounts of toxic metals to the environment, with 380,000 kg released in the US between 2009 and 2021.
A person (POTTOM) watches from a balcony as a firefighting plane drops fire retardant … [+]
The heat from the fires further adds to the dangers. Extreme temperatures can compromise the seals of cans and jars, allowing bacteria to penetrate. In some cases, heat activates dormant pathogens, greatly increasing the likelihood of foodborne illness.
And the dangers don’t end there.
A study published in Ecosphere found that smoke from wildfires can serve as a vehicle for bacteria and fungi, transporting microbial life over great distances. The researchers exposed petri dishes to smoke at various distances from the fire and identified more than 70 species of bacteria and fungi growing in the dishes, with the abundance of the microbes decreasing with increasing distance from the fire, raising concerns about the potential for wildfires. wild to spread foodborne pathogens. .
Further research reveals that fires may contribute to foodborne illness by spreading heat-tolerant microbes in food. While wildfires typically reach temperatures of 300˚ to 1,100˚C, some soil-dwelling microbes can survive extreme heat, with certain species tolerating up to 800˚C.
Research finds that wildfires may contribute to foodborne illness by spreading heat tolerance … [+]
Barbara Brown, a food specialist at Oklahoma State University, advises that after a fire, fresh produce, raw foods and any open containers exposed to fumes, water or chemicals should be discarded to ensure safety. Similarly, pantry staples such as flour, sugar, spices and seasonings, along with items in non-airtight containers such as screw top jars, cardboard boxes or those wrapped in foil, plastic or fabric should be discarded. . If there is a power outage, perishable items such as meat, seafood, milk, soft cheeses, eggs, prepared foods and cookie dough should be thrown out if kept above 40°F for more than two hours.
Power outages often leave refrigerators and freezers full of foul-smelling spoils. While many assume they can just clean out the fridge, experts warn that food that has been spoiled for even a few days can leave lingering contamination. In some cases, it may be safer to replace the entire refrigerator.
As of Friday, there were hundreds of thousands of people in the Los Angeles area who had lost power to their homes. The number of people who have been displaced is approaching 200,000, and officials expect the death toll to rise in the coming days. Among the 6 active wildfires in Los Angeles County, the Palisades and Eaton fires are on record as the most destructive in California history.
The Los Angeles fires are a stark reminder of the far-reaching impacts of climate-related disasters, highlighting the fragility of our food systems and the urgent need for robust disaster preparedness. The link between environmental disasters and food security requires immediate action and long-term solutions to protect public health.
