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sb Flowers and fruit are always in clusters on slender stems that are attached to the "p branches where the leaves come out. The berries have a white, waxy appearance. After -• the leaves have shed, the waxy white berries are an easy way to identify poison oak. Some poison oak fruit looks like a peeled orange, others are hairy, and some are smooth. Oakleaf oak has leaflets similar to white oak leaves. It is also known as poison oak. This form of oak usually does not climb as a vine but is found as a low-growing shrub. The sap and crushed leaves contain a chemical which is absorbed by skin cells. The body mounts an immune response to these contaminated cells. Once begun, the reaction ends only when all the contaminated cells have been shed. This is one argument for scratching as much as possible, at the expense of additional scarring. Symptoms may persist for up to two weeks after exposure. Note: Under no circumstances should you burn the plant, the smoke is as potent as 3 the plant itself. 'Inhaling the smoke can produce a systemic reaction, including potentially serious lung inflammation." - Poison Oak Avoidance: -. Learn to recognize and avoid the plant. If exposed, wash the affected area as Quickly as possible with soap and cold water [hot water is reputed to cause the pores to open and .> allow the oak oil in]. A product called Tecnu is designed to break down the active ingredient in the oil. The oil is very easily spread, and can persist in crystalline form on clothing or other contacted items [including pets] for many months, soyou should wash anything you may have touched. Scratching affected areas after symptoms develop } cannot spread the infection, but different levels of exposure, and secondary exposures, ,> can cause delayed reactions 12-3 days] in adjacent areas, giving the impression of } spreading. 2.3.6 Valley Fever Valley fever is a fungus caused by the fungus Coccidioides. A fungus is a member of the plant family. The fungus lives in a sort of hibernation state in dry, alkaline soil [soil with a pH level between 8 to 14]. When weather and moisture conditions are favorable, the fungus "blooms" and forms many tiny spores which lie dormant in the soil until they are stirred up by wind, by vehicles, by excavation, etc. and become airborne. These } very light, microscopically small [2 to 4 microns] spores can float invisibly in the air for long period of time, that they can be blown by the wind over great distances. When a susceptible human, or animal who is not immune inhales these airborne spores, they - enter the lungs and cause an infection [pneumonia]. In general, the greater the number of spores inhaled the larger and more severe the infection. _t Symptoms usually begin about two weeks after a susceptible person inhales the spores. The disease will spread until the body develops immunity to the fungus and thereby contains and suppresses the infection or until a medication effective in destroying the i 5b Environmental Services,LLC O October,2003 California Integrated Waste Management Board --% Site Specific Health and Safety Plan Page 21 of 62 Tracy Tire Fire Remediation Project