Risk of post-fire metal mobilization into surface water resources: A review
Abstract
One of the significant economic benefits to communities around the world of having pristine forest catchments is the supply of substantial quantities of high quality potable water. This supports a saving of around US$ 4.1 trillion per year globally by limiting the cost of expensive drinking water treatments and provision of unnecessary infrastructure. Even low levels of contaminants specifically organics and metals in catchments when in a mobile state can reduce these economic benefits by seriously affecting the water quality. Contamination and contaminant mobility can occur through natural and anthropogenic activities including forest fires. Moderate to high intensity forest fires are able to alter soil properties and release sequestered metals from sediments, soil organic matter and fragments of vegetation. In addition, the increase in post-fire erosion rate by rainfall runoff and strong winds facilitates the rapid transport of these metals downslope and downstream. The subsequent metal deposition in distal soil and water bodies can influence surface water quality with potential impacts to the larger ecosystems inclusive of negative effects on humans. This is of substantial concern as 4 billion hectares of forest catchments provide high quality water to global communities. Redressing this problem requires quantification of the potential effects on water resources and instituting rigorous fire and environmental management plans to mitigate deleterious effects on catchment areas. This paper is a review of the current state of the art literature dealing with the risk of post-fire mobilization of the metals into surface water resources. It is intended to inform discussion on the preparation of suitable management plans and policies during and after fire events in order to maintain potable water quality in a cost-effective manner. In these times of climate fluctuation and increased incidence of fires, the need for development of new policies and management frameworks are of heighted significance.
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Prior research has reported water contamination after fires from heavy metals, per- and polyfluoro-alkyl substances (PFASs), and microbes.
“Prior research has reported water contamination after fires from heavy metals, per- and polyfluoro-alkyl substances (PFASs), and microbes.7−9”
From Fire and Water: Assessing Drinking Water Contamination After a Major Wildfire (2021) · cites this paper as [7]
The contamination of drinking water systems with VOCs following large wildfires has been documented on several occasions since 2017.
“The contamination of drinking water systems with VOCs following large wildfires has now been documented on several occasions since the phenomenon was first reported in 2017.7,9”
From Fire and Water: Assessing Drinking Water Contamination After a Major Wildfire (2021) · cites this paper as [7]
In rainforests and wetlands, unusually dry conditions will lead to destructive fires impacting surface waters with sediment, carbon compounds, and toxic metals.
“In rainforests and wetlands, where wet conditions usually slow or stop the spread of fires, unusually dry conditions will lead to destructive fires impacting surface waters with sediment, carbon compounds, and toxic metals (Abraham et al., 2017; Granath et al., 2016).”
From Scientists' warning on extreme wildfire risks to water supply (2021) · cites this paper as Abraham et al., 2017
The 2020 Western US wildfires caused dozens of millions in damages to water distribution systems and triggered widespread debris-flow warnings.
“caused dozens of millions in damages to water distribution systems (Walton, 2020) and triggered widespread debris‐flow warnings. 2”
From Scientists' warning on extreme wildfire risks to water supply (2021) · cites this paper as [2]
The origin of the benzene may include combustion of residential materials, thermal degradation or pyrolysis of plastic pipes, water meters, and other components of the water system itself, as well as wood smoke.
“The origin of the benzene may include the combustion of residential materials, thermal degradation or pyrolysis of plastic pipes, water meters, and other components of the water system itself, as well as wood smoke.7,16,17”
From Fire and Water: Assessing Drinking Water Contamination After a Major Wildfire (2021) · cites this paper as [7]
Ash can enter watercourses via runoff, wind deposition, and flooding, as preleached dissolved constituents or as suspended particles.
“Ash can enter watercourses via runoff, wind deposition, and flooding [12,13], as preleached dissolved constituents or as suspended particles.”
From Wildfire Ash Alters Freshwater Crustacean Behavior: Disentangling the Contributions of Suspended Macroparticles and Ash‐Induced Alkalinization (2026) · cites this paper as [12]
Fresh wildfire ash typically consists of mineral materials and charred organic components, is noncohesive, has low density, and is not attached to soil, which facilitates its mobilisation and transport by post-fire water and wind erosion.
“Fresh wildfire ash typically consists of mineral materials and charred organic components, is noncohesive, has a low density, and is not attached to the soil, which facilitates its mobilisation and transportation by post-fire water and wind erosion (Bodı ´et al. 2014;Abraham et al. 2017).”
From Chemical composition of wildfire ash produced in contrasting ecosystems and its toxicity to Daphnia magna (2019) · cites this paper as Abraham et al. 2017
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“Water Standards— Wildfires can mobilize metals and other inorganic chemicals which are then transported by precipitation events into downstream waters (e.g., see Abraham et al., 2017b; Rust et al., 2018; Smith et al., 2011).”
Scientists' warning on extreme wildfire risks to water supply
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“In rainforests and wetlands, where wet conditions usually slow or stop the spread of fires, unusually dry conditions will lead to destructive fires impacting surface waters with sediment, carbon compounds, and toxic metals (Abraham et al., 2017; Granath et al., 2016).”
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Fire and Water: Assessing Drinking Water Contamination After a Major Wildfire
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Pereira‐Silva, P. B., Pacheco, D. R., Kirsch, G., Araujo, R. M. G., Oscar, B. V. C., Matias, W. G., Santos, S., & Figueiredo, B. R. S. (2026) · Environmental Toxicology · doi:10.1002/tox.70178
- Authors
- Abraham, J., Dowling, K., & Florentine, S.
- Affiliations
- Federation University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Abraham, Joji
- Venue
- Science of The Total Environment
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2017-12
- Volume
- 599-600
- Pages
- 1740-1755
- ISSN
- 0048-9697 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2615488103
- Cited by
- 156
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2026: 29 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 4
- FWCI
- 0.85
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Science of The Total Environment (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- FedUni ResearchOnline (Federation University Australia) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Australian Government
- Federation University Australia
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Fire effects on ecosystems
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Heavy metals in environment
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Water Science and Technology › Environmental and Analytical Chemistry Studies
- Keywords
- forest fires, surface water quality, drinking water quality, post-fire erosion, forested watersheds, fire management planning, sediment transport, soil organic matter
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