LAHAINA, Hawaii — Department of Health tests did not find lead exposure from the Maui fires, according to a news release.

What You Need To Know

  • Lead screenings conducted between Dec. 2023 and Feb. 2024 did not show widespread human exposure to toxins in the ash

  • “While the effects of the Aug. 8 wildfires on the community have been devastating, it’s reassuring to know that people in the community are not showing elevated blood lead levels,” said State Health Director Dr. Kenneth Fink

  • Only five people out of 557 screened were found to have lead detections ranging from 2.1 to 5 micrograms per deciliter

  • While it’s not known how these five people were exposed to lead, other sources of lead exposure can include lead-based paint, consumer products and certain work environments and hobbies

Wildfire ash contains concentrations of lead, prompting concern for toxin exposure. However, lead screenings conducted between Dec. 2023 and Feb. 2024 did not show widespread human exposure to toxins in the ash. 

“While the effects of the Aug. 8 wildfires on the community have been devastating, it’s reassuring to know that people in the community are not showing elevated blood lead levels,” said State Health Director Dr. Kenneth Fink in the release. “On the basis of these results with lead as an indicator of exposure, we do not expect to find health impacts caused by toxins in the wildfire ash.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, children with blood lead levels of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter or higher and adults with blood lead levels of 5 micrograms per deciliter or higher are a cause for concern. 

DOH nurses screened 557 people for lead exposure at 15 community events. Only five people were found to have lead detections ranging from 2.1 to 5 micrograms per deciliter.

While it’s not known how these five people were exposed to lead, other sources of lead exposure can include lead-based paint, consumer products, and certain work environments and hobbies, according to DOH. 

“The very low prevalence of elevated lead, combined with the low blood levels of lead detected, provides a high level of reassurance that at a population level the Maui wildfires did not result in clinically significant exposure to contaminants in ash,” the DOH release said. “Based on these findings, screening the general population with potential wildfire ash exposure for toxins that were identified in the ash is not recommended.”

Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.

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