The flames in Los Angeles may have been doused, but the crisis isn’t over. The air we breathe is now a hidden enemy, thick with the remnants of entire neighborhoods turned to ash. It’s a grim reminder that fires don’t just destroy homes—they leave behind a toxic legacy that lingers long after the smoke clears.

When wildfires rage through forests, the smoke is bad enough. But urban fires? They’re a whole new level of danger. Imagine inhaling not just wood smoke but an aerosolized city—furniture, electronics, cars, and even the personal belongings that once made houses feel like homes. It’s not just ash in the air; it’s everything that was lost, now seeping into our lungs.

Recent fires in neighborhoods like Palisades and Altadena have forced us to confront this harsh reality. Experts warn that wildfire smoke can be even more harmful than industrial pollution because it’s packed with the chemicals and particles from burning homes. Think about it: when an entire block goes up in flames, the air becomes a toxic cocktail of melted plastics, metals, and other materials. One observer even quipped, “If you’re wondering why wildfire smoke is so bad for you, it’s because it contains things like ‘an entire bicycle.’”

The scale of destruction is staggering. Over 10,000 homes were lost, and with them, countless memories and possessions. But before these items were reduced to rubble, they became fuel for the fire—and now, for the air we breathe. From family photos to household cleaners, everything that burned is now part of the invisible haze hanging over the city.

As we rebuild, it’s easy to focus on the visible losses. But the unseen threat in the air demands our attention too. The fires may be out, but their impact on our health and environment is far from over. It’s a sobering reminder that disasters don’t end when the flames die down—they leave behind challenges we can’t always see.