California Wildfires: Emergency Preparedness and Resources

California Wildfires: Emergency Preparedness and Helpful Resources

Firefighters are battling a total of 17 fires ravaging throughout California, including the Mendocino Complex Fire. The blaze has nearly doubled in size, making it the largest in the state’s history.

Environmental Health professionals are critical to ensuring the best practices are implemented to ensure that everyone in California has access to clean air. NEHA pledges our support in assisting them in any way possible.

NEHA and its members are deeply concerned for the people of California whose lives have been severely impacted by the wildfires. We stand ready to help as the smoke creates unlivable conditions for many towns and cities in the surrounding areas.

We are committed to working closely with the California Environmental Health Association (CEHA) and other organizations as they struggle with the aftermath. Below are helpful resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, California Air Resources Board, and California Department of Public Health. These resources were created to assist environmental health professionals with emergency preparedness after a wildfire or mass fire.
 

​Resources for Local Health Departments

• EPA Wildfires
• Wildfires and Smoke: A Guide for Public Health Officials
• Wildland Fire Research to Protect Health and the Environment (U.S. EPA) 
• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ Wildfire Response Orientation
• Presentation on wildfires (U.S. EPA) 
• Clarification on prescribed burning and efforts that are used to minimize smoke impacts (CA Air Resources Board)
• Learn the right way to use an N-95 or P-100 particulate respirator mask (CA Department of PH)
• Fire response and recovery resources (California EPA)
• The Prominent Role of EH in California- Wildfire Disaster Recovery
• Form Examples: Calaveras County Toolkit
• Food and Water Safety: Food Safety Toolkit

Resources for the Public

• What to do before, during, and after a wildfire (CDC)
• Information about home air cleaners (U.S. EPA)
• Real-Time Air Quality Information:  AirNow (U.S. EPA)
• Find out if you are at risk from exposure to particle pollution (U.S. EPA AirNow)
• Fact sheet on heart disease, stroke, and outdoor air pollution (U.S. EPA AirNow)
• A list of certified air cleaning devices (CA Air Resources Board)
• Healthy Heart Toolkit and Research (U.S. EPA) 
• Particle Pollution and Heart Disease (Million Hearts)
• California Statewide Fire Maps

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Resources From NEHA's Journal of Environmental Health

• Norovirus Outbreak at a Wildland Fire Base Camp Ignites Investigation of Restaurant Inspection Policies (PDF)
• Building Capacity to Respond and Recover