HONOLULU (NEWSnet/AP) — Lead-screening conducted on west Maui residents after the August 2023 wildfire showed no widespread exposure, Hawaii health officials said Thursday.

Blood samples were taken from 557 people. Twenty-seven were positive for exposure. Subsequent testing showed 15 of those did not have elevated blood-lead level and were determined to have had a false positive, the state health department said.

“While the effects of the August 8 wildfires on the community have been devastating, it’s reassuring to know that people in the community are not showing elevated blood lead levels,” state Health Director Dr. Kenneth Fink said in a statement. “On the basis of these results with lead as an indicator of exposure, we do not expect to find health impacts caused by toxins in the wildfire ash.”

Lead is one of the heavy metals of concern found in significant concentrations in ash from the fires, the health department said.

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