Smoke and Soot Damage Testing Services

Huntington Beach, CA, May 11^th, 2021

California’s Governor issued a proclamation that declared May 2^nd through the 8^th as Wildfire Preparedness Week. In his proclamation, residents are reminded that six of the largest and most destructive wildfires in state history occurred last year. In fact, CAL FIRE reported that in 2020, over 4,250,000 acres burned in 9,917 incidents. There were 33 fatalities and almost 10,500 structures were damaged or destroyed.

This week of recognition is especially important as almost all of California is currently experiencing significant drought conditions due to the lack of rain and snowpack. This makes for conditions that could support explosive fires in most counties across the state.

The Wildfire Preparedness Week proclamation states:

All Californians have a critical role in protecting themselves and their communities from wildfire. Now is the time to help prevent loss of life and property by ensuring adequate defensible space around homes and buildings, making homes more fire-resistant, and having an emergency preparedness and escape plan.

“Although May has been traditionally viewed as the beginning of wildfire season in California, the changing weather conditions in recent years mean fires can happen almost anytime,” said Joseph Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at LA Testing. “When wildfires do occur, any homes or structures in the path of the flames are at great risk, but even properties miles from the wildfire event can experience damage due to thick smoke and the associated wildfire like particulates that can easily infiltrate a home or building. Smoke from wildfires is filled with combustion by-products that include soot, ash, and char. These can have damaging effects on both properties and human health. When it comes to smoke damage, it is also often left to the property owner to provide proof of damages to their insurance provider.”

LA Testing is California’s leading provider of smoke damage and fire residue analyses. Their laboratories offer surface and air testing services that can be used to support the presence of smoke residues. These same tests can also be utilized after the property is remediated to ensure it has been brought back to pre-fire conditions.  LA Testing released an educational video about smoke damage that can be viewed at:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owo8lIoVTuk.

To learn more about testing for smoke damage, char, carbon black, soot, odors, and other indoor air quality (IAQ) and environmental issues, please visit www.SmokeDamageTestingLab.com or www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794. To access Fire & Smoke Damage Test Kits, visit www.EMSLTestKit.com.


About LA Testing
LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash, and smoke damage, particulates, and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health, and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego, and Ontario.