No sign of widespread lead exposure from Maui wildfires, Hawaii health officials say

HONOLULU -- Lead screening conducted connected westbound Maui residents aft past summer's devastating wildfires showed nary wide vulnerability to the toxic metal, Hawaii wellness officials said Thursday.

Blood samples were taken from 557 radical aft the deadliest U.S. wildfire successful much than a period ripped done the municipality of Lahaina, sidesplitting 101 people.

Just 27 people's screening results came retired positive, and consequent investigating showed 15 of them did not person elevated humor pb levels and were determined to person had a mendacious positive, the authorities wellness section said.

“While the effects of the August 8 wildfires connected the assemblage person been devastating, it’s reassuring to cognize that radical successful the assemblage are not showing elevated humor pb levels,” authorities Health Director Dr. Kenneth Fink said successful a statement. “On the ground of these results with pb arsenic an indicator of exposure, we bash not expect to find wellness impacts caused by toxins successful the wildfire ash.”

Lead is 1 of the dense metals of interest recovered successful important concentrations successful ash from the fires, the wellness section said.