I live in San Diego County and my home has not been consumed by fire.

For that I am grateful.

But we also live in a home that is covered by a powdery coating of ash. Our youngest son, as he sweeps the patio, wonders about the origin of the ashes. Did they come from a tree? From someone's house? From a burned animal?

I ask him to stop--and think of other possibilities. What about toxic chemicals? Asbestos? Plastic toxins? And a host of other poisons.

I run inside and pull out one of the masks I retrieved from Scripps Encinitas Hospital, where my Dad is currently hospitalized.

The toxins from the ash warrant the following precautions:

•  Don't use a blower to disperse the ash. You will only further pollute the air and your lungs.
• Wear gloves, long sleeves and masks. The skin absorbs and so do lungs.
• Don't use water to wash the ash into storm drains. It is toxic to all life forms.
• A simple solution is to mist the ashes prior to sweeping. This will prevent the ashes from dispersing into the air and into your lungs.