Care for your car during fire season

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

With so many people losing their homes and most precious possessions as a result of the wildfires currently blazing around Southern California, it may be an afterthought as to how these fires affect our cars, even far out of the line of the flames.

Many of the recommendations below provided by Irvine-based Meguiar’s auto products may seem trivial, but all may help avoid the worst damage that the acrid air and falling ash can cause to your car. Some ash residue when mixed with water can form a substance similar to drain cleaner, says company President Barry Meguiar.

Meguiar adds: ‘We have the worst of all circumstances because we have a lot of wood ash. If we had dry nights we wouldn’t be having a problem, but last night we had a lot of fog in the area, and cars were wet. Potassium mixed with water becomes potassium oxide. Could you imagine pouring drain cleaner on your car?

‘The combination of heavy ash and moisture coming through at night and strong sunlight [during the day] is the perfect storm for creating craters in our paint. If [drivers are] concerned about their paint finishes they have to wash off their finishes before it gets wet at night.’

Caring for your car:
Keep vehicles in a garage if possible
Close windows and sunroofs
Use a fitted car cover
Wash and dry your car every night until airborne ash subsides
Wash away any residue after fires die down

For more wildfire coverage, click to www.latimes.com/lanow

-- Craig Howie