2026 Eastern Washington Wildfires Recovery
At the request of the State of Washington, EPA was assigned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to survey, remove, and dispose of household hazardous materials from properties burned by wildfires in Spokane County and on the Spokane Tribe of Indians land. EPA cleared 789 properties and removed over 195,000 pounds of hazardous waste, making it safer for homeowners, contractors, and local agencies to continue to carry out the rebuilding process. Learn more about EPA's response: EPA Completes Household Hazardous Material Removal for Eastern Washington Wildfires Ahead of Schedule.
Hazardous materials removal
EPA's response included removing potentially dangerous everyday products like paint, cleaners and solvents, oils, batteries and pesticides. After a fire, these products require special handling, especially if their containers are damaged.
EPA also removed lithium-ion batteries from vehicles, homes, and other products. These batteries are considered extremely dangerous, even if they look intact. Lithium batteries can spontaneously re-ignite, explode, and emit toxic gases and particulates even after the fire is out.
This work was done at no cost to residents.
Frequent questions
How was household hazardous materials removed from my property?
EPA-led teams surveyed and removed household hazardous materials only. If valuables were found, response workers were instructed to stop work and contact local law enforcement for handling. This includes functional firearms.
Why were household hazardous materials removed?
After a fire, these products require special handling, especially if their containers are damaged. These materials must be safely removed and disposed of.
Did EPA have permission to enter my property?
The Spokane County Public Health Official granted EPA authority on August 10, 2026, to access properties. No additional steps were needed from homeowners for the work to proceed. However, property owners were given the opportunity to opt-out from this work.
Did EPA do asbestos abatement?
No. However, EPA field teams were instructed to remove items thought to have asbestos if they were easy to identify. You will still have to obtain an asbestos survey and dispose of properly as explained on the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency’s website.
Did EPA remove fire ash and other debris?
EPA’s mission did not include removal of fire ash and other debris. For further information about debris removal assistance, please visit Spokane Complex Wildfire Response Resources.
For more information
Please note: EPA’s Eastern Washington Wildfires hotline is no longer operational, as EPA has completed our hazardous household material removal mission.
For household hazardous materials questions, please call Spokane County Solid Waste at 509-477-6800.
For all other questions, please call the Spokane Regional Health District at 509-324-1500.
For media inquiries, please contact R10_Press_Team@epa.gov.
For more information about how to reduce smoke exposure and protect your health during wildland fire smoke events, visit EPA's Wildfires website.