The Province has released the updated Phase 2B soil data as well as updated maps on ash sampling and air quality monitoring in our community.
Following any fire, it is expected that contaminants from ash, which are common when forest and man-made materials burn, will be found in the top layer of soil. Soil was tested in burned areas to determine how the ash affected soil quality and the types and levels of contaminates deposited as a result of the fire.
In total, 62 soil samples were collected.
Unburned areas (Phase 2A): samples were taken from area gardens to determine if food grown in the area is safe to eat. All results indicated that gardening continues to be safe for residents of unburned areas.
Burned areas (Phase 2B): samples were collected from the hardest hit locations, Abasand, Beacon Hill and Waters ways to determine if ash had impacted soil quality.
You can view the soil monitoring data yourself, here.
No exceedances of human health guidelines (Tier 2) were found in any soil samples taken to date, in both burned and unburned areas.
A preliminary assessment of the soil data from burned and unburned areas indicates:
Elevated salinity results are an indication of fair to poor soil quality, which may affect plant growth, but not human health.
There was no indication of metals impact in any community garden soil samples.
Low-level concentrations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in twelve samples from unburned areas and five samples from burned areas exceeded ecological guidelines, but did not exceed any human health-based guidelines.
Additional soil sampling in public areas in burned and unburned residential areas will occur after clean-up and debris removal is complete to confirm areas are reclaimed as needed.
Ash samples were taken by Alberta Environment and Parks and the RMWB in a variety of locations in the community and the nearby forested areas.
Contaminats were detected in the urban areas, this is normal and levels were typical for house fires that contain man-made items such a vehicle tires and home building materials.
However the volume of ash in some areas requires additional precautions to protect human health.
Ash sampling also provides information about how the debris can be safely disposed of in area landfills. All of the samples were negative for asbestos.
Air monitoring has shown no evidence of ash migrating to non-impacted areas. To further minimize the risk of ash being blown into other neighbourhoods, the municipality has sprayed the ash and debris with a tackifier. A second round of tackifer was applied following sifting.
In total, 82 samples were taken and all samples were tested for asbestos. To view the map of ash sampling click here.
Since evacuation, particulate matter, as a measure of the amount of smoke in air, is being monitored in a number of locations.
Air quality across the Wood Buffalo region is no longer being impacted by the Horse River wildfire and all health advisories related to air quality have been lifted.
People with a chronic or acute medical condition such as heart, lung, gastrointestinal or kidney disease can now safely return to the community.
As clean up and debris removal is done, air quality will continue to be monitored.
