CAHNRS News > Podcasts > Food Safety in a Minute > Wildfire Food Safety: Making Safe Choices After a Wildfire > Protect Yourself when Harvesting Your Garden after Wildfire Smoke/Ash

Protect Yourself when Harvesting Your Garden after Wildfire Smoke/Ash

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Transcript

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From Washington State University Extension, you are listening to a special series of podcasts titled Wildfire Food Safety.

You’ve decided it’s safe to harvest your garden. Oregon State University Extension recommends steps to protect you and your produce after wildfire smoke or ash exposure. Avoid harvesting when air quality is unhealthy; wait for conditions to improve. Don’t use leaf blowers that can send settled ash back into the air. Wear a mask, preferably an N95. Remove shoes outdoors, change clothes, and launder promptly. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and running water, then dry with a paper towel.

After harvest, plan for next year. OSU Extension horticulturist Brooke Edmunds recommends testing soil before spring planting. Collect samples from multiple areas; testing for lead, cadmium, arsenic, nickel, and mercury. Then learn more about restoring soil biology.

Thanks for listening, I’m Susie Craig.

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Resources

Oregon State University Extension Service (September 2025). Is Wildfire Ash on Garden Produce Safe to Eat? Accessed online 8/10/26.