Recovery & Resources / AN ORANGE COUNTY GUIDE TO COPING WITH FIRE : Smoky Air Poses Special Health Risks

Emergency room and doctors’ visits for respiratory illnesses and eye injuries doubled in the two days after the Oakland Hills fire two years ago. And health experts say Southern Californians greatly exposed to smoke and soot should brace for similar health consequences.

Orange County public health officials Thursday warned that the huge amounts of smoke poured into the county’s skies pose a special risk to people with asthma or other lung diseases.

“Residents with asthma should stay indoors or temporarily relocate if smoke in their area appears to be affecting their breathing,” said Rick Greenwood, deputy director of public health for Orange County.

“Asthmatics should anticipate the need to adjust their medications in accordance with the instructions of their treating physician,” he said. “If symptoms worsen, they should seek medical advice or treatment early rather than late.”

Bronchial infections, laryngitis and eye infections and abrasions are the most common problems resulting from exposure to smoky, soot-filled air and can occur up to 48 hours later, said Dr. Paul Papanek, a Los Angeles County health department official who studied the health effects of the Oakland Hills fire.

But even people not directly exposed to smoke can expect sneezing, wheezing and eye irritation in smoky conditions, said officials for the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

The agency on Thursday advised residents to follow guidelines similar to those for high-stage smog alerts, including staying indoors and limiting physical exertion. Today’s forecast predicts an improvement in air quality.

Oakland officials also reported an increase in eye problems because of cinders and soot. These particulates can scratch the eye, causing an extremely painful and serious condition that should be promptly treated, Greenwood said.

Such corneal abrasions are especially prevalent among contact lens wearers, who should be especially careful when looking through rubble, he said.

Any person suffering an injury or puncture wound should get a tetanus shot, especially if inoculation history is uncertain, Greenwood added.

Smoke or dust may contain potentially toxic chemicals that were released as homes and garages exploded in flames, said AQMD spokesman Bill Kelly.

“These houses are loaded with different toxic materials,” Kelly said. “The fine particles are likely to linger for the day. Fine particles evade the respiratory’s natural defense systems and get down into the lungs. That’s why people should minimize their exposure.”

Older houses that burned may have also released asbestos, Kelly warned.

“Asbestos might be in the ash. So people should not sift through rubble,” he said.

While paper face masks can help block out larger particles, “they are not going to protect you against asbestos,” Kelly said.

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Times staff writer Steve Emmons contributed to this story.