I was inspired by this circulate to relate a story of my own. My story is not quite as incredibly misfortunate, but for that I am grateful!
When we lived in Portland, Oregon, we lived in a exquisite townhouse with a wood burning fireplace. In lieu of trying to find chopped wood to blaze in it, we decided to use pressed logs. We bought a case of these "logs" at Costco. To foolish one, you simply place the wrapped log into the fireplace and light the paper. Eventually the log catches on fire and burns for about 3 hours. It leaves a minor ash pile behind.
Well, we'd burned a case of logs over the course of the winter and in a spring cleaning fever, I decided to clean out the fireplace. I used a garden spade to remove the larger chunks but was unsure how to eliminate the ash. Inspiration hit when I remembered the shop vac out in the shed. I brought it inside, plugged it in, and started to vacuum up the fireplace ash. I felt some soot hit my cheek and turned around to a most ailing sight. It turns out that shop vacs should NEVER be used to vacuum up ash. It was sucking the ash in and then spitting it out the other side. The back end of the vacuum was piercing at the entertainment center, so it had sprayed ash over the TV and DVD player, along with all the kids' movies, some CD's and all the cords behind the TV. It also got onto the carpet and a few pillows that were in front of the center. I surveyed the injure for a minute or two, then decided I should go ahead and vacuum out the rest of the ash before trying to clean up the around. I have no idea why I thought this would be a good plan.
This time, I placed the shop vac so its back end was muricate out the patio door. I guess I figured the ash would blow outside and disperse...

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Los Angeles County Communal Health Department
313 N. Figueroa Street, Room 806 * Los Angeles, CA 90012 * (213)
240-8144 * media@ph.lacounty.gov

For Nearby Release:
October 15, 2008
Air Quality Alert #4:

Air quality is unhealthy in Central Los Angeles County, the San Fernando
Valley, Santa Clarita Valley, San Gabriel Mountains, the South Bay-Hanker
Beach area, and the Santa Monica-Malibu area.

LOS ANGELES - Due to the fires, air calibre is adversely affected in
several parts of Los Angeles County. According to the South Littoral Air
Quality Management District (AQMD), the following areas are directly
bogus: Central Los Angeles County extending to West Hollywood,
Alhambra, Traffic, and Windsor Hills; the San Fernando Valley; the
Santa Clarita Valley; the San Gabriel Mountains; the northern coastal
room which includes Malibu to Santa Monica along the coast, extending
inland to Beverly Hills and the West Hollywood parade-ground; and the southern
coastal area, from South Bay-Long Beach, extending to the 110, 91 and
605 freeways. These areas may stretch as the fires continue.

"In all areas of visible smoke or where there is an odor of smoke, all
individuals are urged to be discreet and to avoid unnecessary outdoor
activities. We are also advising schools that are in session in
smoke-impacted areas to blackball outside physical activities in these
areas, including physical education and after-drill sports, until
conditions improve," said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Head of
Public Health and County Health Officer.

Non-school related sports organizations, such as Spot Leagues, for
children and adults are advised to cancel outdoor practices in areas
where there is prominent smoke, soot, or ash, or where there is an odor of
smoke. This also applies to other recreational outdoor job, such as
hikes or picnics, in these areas. Sensitive individuals, such as...

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