Here's how Los Angeles residents can safely clean up ash

(KTLA) — Officials warn that communities not directly impacted by the deadly wildfires across Los Angeles County should still take precautions to protect their health.

Particles, mainly from the Palisades and Eaton fires, have produced poor air quality in many areas. High levels of ash may also be inside homes or along property lines. 

Ash contains byproducts from fire combustion, so there are numerous toxic materials, some of which are carcinogenic and can have serious short-term and long-term effects with prolonged exposure. It can also travel miles away from burn scar areas and evacuation zones, depending on wind intensity.

According to South Coast AQMD, here are some tips on how to properly clean your home and protect your health.

• Wear a tight-fitting disposable respirator such as an N-95 or P-100 mask to protect your lungs.
• To avoid skin contact, wear goggles, gloves, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes and socks.
• Mist lightly with water and then sweep gently with a broom or wet mop. Direct ash-filled water to ground areas and away from the storm drains. Don't use leaf blowers.
• Collect ash into a plastic bag and dispose in the regular trash.
• Inside your home, use a vacuum with a HEPA filter or, if possible, similar industrial ones with disposable collection filter bags. Misting lightly with water and then sweeping gently with a broom is another option.
• Take your car to the car wash.
• Wash off toys.
• Clean ash off pets.

Even though some people may be able to clean up their homes, Southern California isn’t out of the woods yet.

Fire danger peaks on Wednesday, creating what the National Weather Service describes as a Particularly Dangerous Situation for several areas, including Fillmore, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks and Northridge, between 3 a.m. and 3 p.m.