Tucson lives at the wildland-urban interface, and homes along the Santa Catalinas know what a big fire season feels like. During the 2020 Bighorn Fire — which burned roughly 119,978 acres in the Santa Catalina Mountains after a June lightning strike and forced evacuations across the Catalina Foothills, Oro Valley, Mt. Lemmon, and Summerhaven — even homes that were never touched by flame took in smoke and fine ash through windows, attic vents, and HVAC intakes.

How wildfire residue gets in — and why it’s different

Wildfire smoke is a mix of fine particulate and odor compounds that infiltrate through the smallest gaps: window and door seals, attic and soffit vents, and especially HVAC fresh-air intakes. Once inside, ash settles on horizontal surfaces and odor embeds in soft materials and ductwork. Wildfire ash also tends to be gritty and alkaline, which calls for specific cleaning methods — the IICRC is actively extending its S700 fire-and-smoke standard to address wildfire-impacted structures.

What cleanup involves

Crews assess the extent of intrusion, HEPA-vacuum and clean surfaces using methods matched to the residue, clean or replace HVAC filters and address ductwork, and treat odor at the source rather than masking it. Soft contents may be cleaned on-site or packed out. The goal is to remove the ash and the smell, not perfume over them.

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