The Mercury News: A growing problem after California wildfires: Toxic chemicals

Large scale wildfires are common in California, and accompanying them is the release of chemicals into the air through the burning of lead paint, asbestos, plastic pipes, and other building material. In an ongoing study, post-fire soil is being tested in Santa Rosa county. It is being analyzed and compared from regions with only trees to those more commercialized areas. Researchers have found a few thousand more chemicals in the soil in the built-up area compared to that of the rural area. There has not been extensive research into the danger of chemical exposure post-natural disaster, and as they are becoming more frequent, it is even more crucial to examine these effects on residents who inhabit these areas.