After a devastating fire, homeowners are often eager to return to their homes to see what can be recovered. While it is best to contact your local city or county for guidance about entering your property, homeowners should be aware of the immediate and long-term health risks associated with exposure to residential wildfire ash and debris. Whenever possible, residents should avoid or minimize contact with residential wildfire debris. This fact sheet details more information about the dangers of sifting through wildfire debris.