In the aftermath of last summer’s wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii, health officials conducted testing on residents in west Maui to assess the extent of lead exposure. However, the results did not show evidence of widespread lead exposure. Blood samples were taken from 557 individuals, but only 27 tested positive for lead.
Further testing revealed that 15 out of the 27 individuals did not have elevated blood lead levels, indicating false positives in their initial screenings. Despite this, Dr. Kenneth Fink, the state Health Director, stated that the results were reassuring and indicated that there were no expected health impacts due to toxins in the wildfire ash. Lead is a heavy metal of concern that was found in high concentrations in the ashes of the wildfires, but the results of the testing did not suggest widespread exposure to the toxic metal among the residents of west Maui.
