How to Protect Buildings and Occupants from Wildfires and WUI Threats

With the growing frequency and severity of wildfires in recent years, facility managers are facing emerging challenges that significantly impact indoor air quality (IAQ), building operations and occupant health. Chemical Insights, an IFMA Strategic Partner Association and Knowledge Library contributor, recently participated in a webinar, “Beyond the Flames: Protecting Buildings & Occupants from Wildfires and WUI Risks,” with the IFMA communities ISC and WE. In the webinar, industry experts shared solutions for facility managers to effectively protect their buildings and the people inside them. Here are some of the key takeaways in case you missed it or want to revisit the vital information shared.

What is the WUI?

The wildland urban interface (WUI) is where the natural environment meets or intermixes with the built environment. The WUI is home to nearly half of the global population, making WUI fire risk mitigation an important undertaking for facility managers to safeguard public health.

WUI Fire Hazards in the Built Environment

Wildfires that occur in the WUI typically produce emissions of higher toxicity compared to the natural environment due to the fuel including a combination of vehicles, electronics and other consumer goods with synthetic and metallic materials in addition to vegetation. The resulting smoke plume hosts a complex emissions profile that can contain halogens, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), metals and particulate matter (PM). Wind can carry this cloud of pollutants up to hundreds of miles away from the fire's origin, exposing numerous unsuspecting and unprepared communities to poor air quality.

Public Health Risks

Exposure to the chemicals and particles found in WUI fire smoke, dust and ash can be hazardous to human health, causing acute and even sometimes chronic health effects. Some of the chemicals are known carcinogens and irritants, while many chemicals still require characterization to understand their health impacts. PM_2.5 are fine particles found in wildfire emissions that are 2.5 microns or smaller, comparable to the size of human hair, which is about 70 microns. When inhaled, these tiny particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and can potentially end up in the bloodstream. Studies have linked wildfire PM_2.5 exposure to health concerns including exacerbation of asthma and other respiratory illnesses, heart attacks and strokes.

Managing Air Quality During and After a Smoke Event

This information can feel daunting, but proactive solutions and other risk mitigation strategies can help you protect your buildings and their occupants. Cleaning the air during and after a smoke event can drastically improve IAQ and protect human health. Filters rated MERV 13 are the best option for an HVAC to effectively capture wildfire emissions. It’s important to understand what level of filtration a building’s HVAC system can handle; if it can’t handle MERV 13, choose the highest level the system can support. Depending on the circumstances, additional filtration may be necessary, which can be handled with commercially available portable air cleaners or DIY air cleaners.

Related: Wildfire Crisis Toolkit: Essential Free Resources for Facility Managers

4 Essential Steps for Facility Managers to Handle Wildfire Events

While prevention of an emergency is usually the best course of action, wildfires are often beyond personal control. There are four key steps facility managers can follow to ensure building and occupant safety:

Mitigation

• Harden the building’s structure to strengthen the resilience of critical components like the roof, gutters, vents, attachments, eaves and overhangs.
• Create or extend a defensible space, providing a noncombustible buffer around the building of at least 5 feet.

Preparedness

• Create emergency plans in case of a wildfire or smoke event and make sure all necessary personnel are aware of and familiar with them.

Response

• Monitor indoor and outdoor air quality, as well as weather alerts, and if there’s poor air quality, check the filters regularly to confirm they are still functional.
• Maintain awareness of the situation and follow all guidance from local emergency response agencies.
• Implement emergency plans as necessary.

Recovery

• • Remove settled dust and clean frequently to avoid accumulation of hazardous mixtures of PM and chemicals.

Watch the Full Webinar to Learn More

As wildfires continue to burn longer and stronger, it’s important for facility managers to be equipped with the critical knowledge and tools to effectively protect buildings and occupant health. For a deeper dive into WUI fire risk mitigation strategies, be sure to watch the recorded webinar.