City offers guidance on safely returning home after fires

City offers guidance on safely returning home after fires

Erin Hut, Communications Director, [email protected]

Sunday, August 9, 2026 at 1:40 p.m.

As evacuation orders are downgraded, the City of Spokane is offering guidance on how to safely return home.

The Spokane Regional Health District is advising residents whose homes are still standing to look for smoke, ash, and damaged utilities. Visit SRHD's "After a Wildfire" website to find guidance on what to look for in terms of any potential hazards in your home.

Personal Protective Equipment

Residents returning home should be sure to have the proper personal protective equipment. This includes masks, long sleeves, gloves, and protective eye wear.

The vast majority of residents will be returning to a Tier II neighborhoods. It is recommended that residents in these areas wear N95 masks. A smaller number of residents will return to a Tier I neighborhood. In these areas, public health officials are working hard to deliver the appropriate PPE kits directly to homes.

Everyone else should make their way to PPE distribution points as they approach their neighborhoods. Masks, water, and printed guidance on returning home will be available at these sites.

Locations within City of Spokane boundaries include:

• Indian Trail Shopping Center, 3321 W Indian Trail

• River Ridge Shopping Center, 4605 N Assembly

• Five Mile Park N Ride, 1762 W Five Mile Road

• Corner of 9 Mile Road and Royal Drive, 7202 N Nine Mile Road

Cleaning Your Home

Once residents have the appropriate PPE, they can begin cleaning the inside of their homes.

Guidelines from the Washington State Department of Health includes:

• Wash hard surfaces, floors, and walls with mild, soapy water and a damp cloth. Don't dry sweep up ash; you don't want to breathe it in.

• Replace HVAC and air purifier filters and check them frequently in the coming days and weeks for the need to replace.

• Clean and sanitize all exposed dishware, counters, clothes and other textiles.

• Don't use leaf blowers, mowers, or brooms that throw dust in the air. If you have to vacuum, use a HEPA filter vacuum.

• Outside, avoid disturbing or sifting through contaminated soil or ash until there is further guidance from authorities.

Garbage Service

Food in refrigerators and freezers that lost power for several days should be thrown away. Dispose of spoiled food and solid waste, as long as it is not fire debris.

Remove food waste from packaging and place it in green carts or regular garbage carts.

Residents can put out extra bags of garbage at no cost on their regular garbage collection day. The City will also replace damaged carts; call Spokane 311 to report damage.

Water Service

If your water has been turned off, do not try to restore utilities yourself. Call Spokane 311 to have water service safely restored.

After completing a variety of tests for bacteria and other potential contaminants over the last week, the City of Spokane's Water Department is reporting that it is delivering safe and clean water in the areas impacted by fire.

Residents who have been evacuated and haven't used their water for more than a week should flush the water in their house before drinking to avoid issues with stagnant water in their homes. The Water Department recommends flushing water through internal plumbing fixtures to "turn over" the unused water and refresh water from the water main through pipes.

How to Flush Your Plumbing After Returning Home

1. Remove faucet aerators from sinks throughout your home. This is a good opportunity to soak them in warm vinegar to help remove mineral buildup and any debris before reinstalling them.

2. Turn on all cold-water faucets, one at a time, leaving each running as you move through your home. Turn on the bathtub faucet(s) last. If you only have a shower, turn it on last.

3. Allow the water to run just long enough to walk through your home turning on each faucet, then make another pass to turn them all off. This replaces the stagnant water in your plumbing with fresh water from the public water system.

4. If applicable, also flush:

   1. Outdoor hose bibs/spigots

   2. Refrigerator water dispenser or ice maker supply

   3. Washing machine supply lines

   4. Other infrequently used water fixtures

5. Reinstall the cleaned aerators once flushing is complete.

Natural Gas Service

If your gas is off, you should call Avista Utilities at 800-227-9187. Do not attempt to relight natural gas service or appliances yourself; leave this work to the professionals.

Related Documents

• Tiered Parcel Map (PDF 6.9 MB)

• Older