Purdue Expert Warns That "Cleared to Return" Does Not Necessarily Mean Safe
Purdue environmental engineer Andrew Whelton reports that wildfire recovery requires more than visible debris removal or neighborhood reopening. Standing homes, building plumbing and burned lots can retain hazardous contamination that cannot reliably be judged by sight or smell. He recommends qualified professional assessment, appropriate testing and independent post-remediation confirmation before reoccupancy or rebuilding.