'It's not safe': As L.A.-area fires continue to smolder, experts warn of hidden dangers in the air

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- When the firestorms started in Los Angeles County, health officials encouraged the public to take note of the air quality reports before heading outdoors. Now, more than a week later, the expert advice is quickly evolving.

Officials are telling Los Angeles County residents that there could be dangers lurking beyond what is captured in the air quality index. These indexes don't capture the presence of toxic particles such as asbestos and lead, which can be released from burning materials.

"Wind blown ash particles may be too large to be picked up by our regular instruments and will not influence the AQI measurements that we pointed folks to to look at for air quality," said Nichole Quick, Chief Medical Advisor for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. "So it's important to look for ash in air and on equipment and on your surroundings,"

Experts are scrambling to learn more about the potential contaminants hidden in ash particles and other particles entering the atmosphere.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District, which is the air pollution agency overseeing the Los Angeles region, sends air samples for lab analysis every six days. Officials tell us it may take weeks to know the results of the tests conducted during the period the wildfires have been burning. Plus, they cautioned that these ambient sensors are not close to the burn areas and may not capture the toxins in the evacuation zones.

In the meantime, experts say a good rule of thumb is to wear a mask if you see ash or can see or smell smoke.

"There's still a lot of hazards," said Adam Van Gerpen, a hazmat specialist and fire captain with the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Van Gerpen said hazmat teams are looking for "unusual thermal patterns" and testing for carbon dioxide, which could be a sign of dangerous hydrochloric acid. But the crews are not testing for asbestos and lead, even though they may be present in the atmosphere.

"We don't know what's in the air. There's unknown chemicals in the air," he said, warning people to stay clear of evacuation zones. "It's not safe for people breathing it in."

After the debris and ash settles, winds can kick them up back into the air, prolonging the risks. The air quality district says to be careful not to kick up more into the atmosphere with outdoor brooms or fans.

"You want to be sure to not stir that up where it can be breathed in again," said Scott Epstein, a manager at the South Coast Air Quality Management District. "Ideally you can spray with the lightness of water and then gently sweep or mom. Or use a vacuum that's equipped with a HEPA filter."

If you need N95 masks, L.A. County is distributing them through public libraries, recreation centers, some senior centers and many local non-profit agencies. Masks are also available at disaster resource centers where L.A. County Public Health is offering help for people who are struggling to replace missing prescriptions.

"This includes N95 and P100 masks. In addition to obtaining the masks, it's important to wear those correctly. This means over the nose and mouth without gaps, and well-fitted to your face," said Quick from the public health department.

Quick recommends changing masks regularly, especially if they get soiled or wet., and making sure they fully seal around the nose and mouth.

However, an N95 mask can pose its own risks by impeding breathing and elevating blood pressure and heart rate -- a potential problem for people with chronic respiratory, cardiac and other medical conditions.

"Individuals with respiratory conditions, children and those with pre-existing medical conditions are urged to talk to their health care provider before utilizing these respirators," Quick said.

Hazmat crews from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state's Office of Emergency Management continue to conduct block-by-block patrols of the 12,000-plus acres of land burned by the Eaton and Palisades fires, marking any hazards they find. Van Gerpen from the fire department said that includes tagging live wires, septic tanks and exploded batteries, as well as notifying the proper authorities of any human remains.

"We may not know all the dangers of this for years to come," Van Gerpen said.