By Erin Fee, Staff Writer & Researcher for Save The Water\u2122 | December 23, 2018<\/p>\n
After much effort, less than a month ago, firefighters contained the California wildfires. But the aftermath of the fires remains no less than devastating. For example, Southern California\u2019s Woolsey Fire killed at least 3 people.1<\/span> On top of that, the Butte County Camp Fire destroyed over 13,000 homes and took at least 85 lives, making it the deadliest wildfire in California\u2019s history.1<\/span> Undoubtedly, the fires\u2019 smoke impacted air quality, threatening the health of Californians and reaching as far as New York.2<\/span> As a matter of fact, less discussed, but no less important, the wildfires also affected water quality. Here are three ways wildfires can impact water.<\/p>\n First, everyday objects can contain a vast array of toxic chemicals. And fire causes those chemicals to be released into the ash when burned. To give just a few examples:3<\/span><\/p>\n Because of the release of toxic chemicals, wildfire sites continue to be hazardous even after the flames are extinguished.<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, this toxic ash can easily make its way into water systems, killing aquatic animals and poisoning our most valuable resource: water. For example, Paradise, California\u2014the site of the Camp Fire\u2014is located near important sources of drinking water in the Sierra Nevada. Hazardous material experts are working to contain the toxic ash contaminating the water, but they are up against an unprecedented level of destruction.3<\/span><\/p>\n Second, certain methods of extinguishing fires can also endanger humans and the environment in the long run. For instance, some types of firefighting foam contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS.5<\/span> You can learn more about the health risks associated with PFAS, as well as recent water contamination crises caused by these chemicals, from this<\/a> previous Save the WaterTM<\/span> article. In short, PFAS is an extraordinarily long-lasting and mobile group of chemicals that impacts childhood development.<\/p>\n Another group of substances that threatens clean water is fire retardants. Fire retardants reduce the speed or intensity of wildfires. Therefore, firefighting planes dump huge quantities of fire retardants on uncontrollable and spreading wildfires. This impacts water quality because they often contain high concentrations of ammonia. Ammonia, a pungent-smelling compound sometimes used for household cleaning, can quickly kill fish and disrupt aquatic ecosystems.4<\/span><\/p>\n Third, wildfires also increase the likelihood of flooding. Because soil changes as it burns, it often becomes more hydrophobic. In brief, \u201chydrophobic\u201d means repelling water instead of absorbing it.6<\/span> Since the soil becomes less absorbent, less rainfall is needed to cause a flood. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, \u201cA general rule of thumb is that half an inch of rainfall in less than an hour is sufficient to cause Flash Flooding in a burn area.\u201d7<\/span><\/p>\nToxic Chemicals in Ash<\/h2>\n
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Firefighting Foams Can Harm Water Quality<\/h2>\n
Increased Danger of Floods<\/h2>\n