DEER PARK, Texas — The ITC fire is out, but the fear remains.
Folks in Deer Park, Pasadena and La Porte are cleaning up and dealing with the impact on their health.
For the last three days, Mary Johnson has been feeling ill.
"I couldn't breathe," Johnson said. "My head still hurts."
The ITC fire burned nonstop just a few miles up the road. The black plume of smoke blew right over her house for days.
"It looked like a tornado except it didn't have the funnel, just a wide streak," Johnson said.
Whatever was in that plume made Johnson sick.
"I was nauseated," she said. "My throat was hurting. My ears were hurting. My eyes were running water and my nose was like a faucet."
It was so bothersome she and her husband ended up at the doctor. Now the fire is out. There's blue sky above her home, but the worries still linger in the air.
"I feel relieved, but I'm still having some of those symptoms," said Johnson.
Neighbors are working to wipe away ash that dusted their cars.
"I'm trying to clean everything here," Jose Martinez said.
The flames and smoke may be history, but people like Johnson still don't buy the air is clean. She fears the real impact won't be felt until much later.
"I'm ready to move," Johnson said.
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