Structures not Touched by Recent Wildfires May Still Be Impacted by Smoke Residues

To date, California has experienced a record wildfire season with CAL Fire reporting 1,563 fires between January 1st and May 17th of this year.  This number compares to a 5 year average of 831 during the same time period.
 
Fires have also been recently raging in many other parts of the country, including Alaska and Arizona.  Due to the heroic efforts of fire fighting professionals, many homes and businesses in the impacted areas have been saved from direct harm due to the flames, but now are faced with smoke infiltration damage.
 
Smoke from wildfires can cause damage to structures near the fire and can travel long distances due to prevailing winds.  Smoke residues leave behind unpleasant odors and can at times result in more serious concerns.  Although proof of smoke infiltration is sometimes obvious, other times the evidence is quite subtle and may require testing for proof of damages. 
 
“Combustion by-products, including soot, char and ash, can infiltrate homes and businesses leaving behind smoke residues,” said Franco Seif, President of Clark Seif Clark, a leading fire and smoke residue consulting firm.  “At times it may be left to the property owner to show proof of combustion by-product residues to assist in the insurance claims process.  Smoke residue testing can also determine the extent of its presence and help to establish a reasonable scope of cleaning to return the property back to pre-fire conditions. CSC has years of experience testing for smoke residues and can help people facing these challenges,” he continued.
 
CSC has sponsored an educational video about indoor environmental concerns after a fire that can be seen at:
http://youtu.be/fXcXN7lF2G4
 
To learn more about fire and smoke residue testing services or other indoor air quality (IAQ), industrial hygiene, health and safety issues, please visit www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com or call (800) 807-1118. 
 
About Clark Seif Clark
CSC was established in 1989 to help clients in both public and private sectors address environmental, IAQ, and health and safety (EH&S) issues. CSC is a leading provider of these services with multiple offices along the western seaboard and southwest. The company believes in science-based protocols and has a strong background in engineering, making them the preferred environmental consultants to industrial clients, healthcare facilities, architects, schools, builders, contractors, developers and real estate professionals.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail