
How to Safely Restore Your Edible Garden After a Wildfire
Expert tips to ensure your garden is safe, nourished, and ready to thrive again.

The recent catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles have left many of us reeling—not just from the scale of devastation but from the uncertainty of how to move forward. For those returning to their properties, questions about safety linger, especially when it comes to edible gardens. These spaces often represent nourishment, comfort, and resilience, and considering how to care for them after such an event can feel overwhelming.
If you’re in a surrounding area where it’s safe to return to your home and begin the recovery process, take heart: With thoughtful care and informed choices, your garden can thrive again. To guide you, we’ve tapped into FoodEd, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit dedicated to edible education and sustainable gardening, to share expert tips on restoring your ash-covered gardens and ensuring your future edible harvests are safe.

Photo courtesy of Food Exploration and Discovery.
1. Assessing the Safety of Your Edible Garden
After a wildfire, understanding whether your edible garden is safe can feel daunting. According to Giangelo Leos, Education and Garden Program Director at FoodEd, the first step is to trust your instincts. “Risk assessment is a matter of personal choice, and when folks are already feeling unsafe, sometimes the research that indicates safety doesn’t feel like enough,” Leos explains. The guiding principle? “When in doubt, throw it out.”
That said, limited research shows that ash from forest fires traveling over long distances is generally not harmful to plants or soil. Washing produce thoroughly and hosing down plants can remove ash effectively. For those in at-risk groups—such as individuals with chronic illnesses, pregnant individuals, children, or older adults—taking additional precautions like wearing gloves, masks, and eye protection is recommended.
2. Understanding Urban Structure Fires and Soil Contamination
Ash from urban structure fires presents different challenges. “The presence of lead, arsenic, asbestos, and other heavy metals from older homes is a legitimate concern,” Leos notes. While immediate exposure is typically of low concern, the risk of long-term contamination makes it essential to assess your soil before replanting.
FoodEd recommends testing your soil for contaminants, especially heavy metals. Affordable options like the UMASS Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Lab provide a simple way to gain peace of mind. If contamination is detected, Leos advises removing and replacing the top layers of soil and incorporating organic material to help remediate and restore its health.

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3. Making Produce Safe to Eat
For gardeners eager to harvest their crops, good news: a UCANR study found no significant risk from eating produce exposed to ash and smoke from forest fires. However, proper cleaning is critical. Leos suggests thoroughly washing produce, peeling and discarding outer layers, and soaking items in a 10% white vinegar solution to remove lingering ash.
For produce grown near urban structure fires, the guidance is more cautious. “When in doubt, throw it out,” Leos reiterates. It’s better to sacrifice a harvest than to risk consuming potentially harmful contaminants.
4. Fire Retardants and Your Garden
Fire retardants, often applied during wildfires, pose minimal risk to your garden in the short term. “Fire retardants are not acutely toxic,” Leos explains, and their long-term effects are generally limited. While these chemicals might adjust soil pH or nutrient levels temporarily, they degrade over time and often convert to nitrogen, which plants can use.
Even so, washing your produce thoroughly before consumption remains essential. While fire retardants are considered safe in trace amounts, avoiding ingestion entirely is a prudent choice.

Thomas J. Story
5. Choosing Resilient Edible Plants
While there’s no such thing as a completely “safe” plant after a fire, some edible plants are naturally better at protecting themselves from airborne pollutants. “Cabbages and head lettuce, which grow a tight center with easily removable outer leaves, are great options,” Leos shares. These plants allow gardeners to peel away any potentially contaminated layers, ensuring the edible portions remain protected.
Moving forward, focusing on resilient crops like these can provide an extra layer of security while rebuilding your garden after a wildfire.