After the January 2025 Eaton Canyon wildfires, many residents in Altadena and surrounding areas have experienced new or worsening respiratory symptoms. Doris Scott, whose home was destroyed in the fires, described her experience: “I noticed it most when I lay down to sleep. I could hear wheezing, I could hear a lot of wheezing, which I had never experienced before.”
She is among several community members who have sought medical help for issues such as coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and fatigue since the wildfires.
Dr. Talar Kavafyan, medical director of the ambulatory care center at Huntington Health—an affiliate of Cedars-Sinai—explained the risks following wildfire exposure. “We know that heavy exposure to wildfire smoke can have a delayed and long-term impact on lung function,” Kavafyan said. “Following the devastating fires our community experienced in January, providing enhanced pulmonary care is an important step in recovery—and an important example of how Huntington is dedicated to improving community wellbeing.”
In response to increased demand for respiratory care after the fires, Huntington Health expanded its pulmonary medicine services at the Huntington Ambulatory Care Center (HACC). The timing was crucial for patients like Scott who continued to struggle with breathing months after the incident. “I began to talk to my primary physician about it,” Scott said, “and I kept telling her I don’t feel like I’m getting a good capacity of air.”
Dr. Raj Dasgupta, associate professor of Clinical Medicine and associate program director of Huntington Health’s Internal Medicine Residency Program, noted similar concerns among other patients affected by the wildfires. “It’s understandable to be concerned when someone is having difficulty breathing [dyspnea], which is the sensation of not being able to get enough air, tightness in the chest, or working harder to breathe,” Dasgupta said. “By offering a wider range of tests in an outpatient setting, we can potentially detect pulmonary issues earlier and initiate treatment more quickly, which can lead to better outcomes and help bring some peace of mind to our patients who might be experiencing pulmonary issues right here in our community.”
The center treats conditions including asthma; chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis; persistent cough; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); lung scarring or fibrosis; and sarcoidosis.
“When you arrive at HACC, the first step of treatment is to collect information about your lungs and their function,” Dasgupta explained. “We do this by conducting a breathing test in our office called spirometry, which is a valuable tool for diagnosing, monitoring and evaluating lung function. It provides essential information for managing lung conditions and improving respiratory health. After additional tests and evaluations, we then discuss the next steps to best support your lung health. Remember, difficulty breathing and coughing can have various causes, and it’s essential to seek medical evaluation for a proper diagnosis and treatment.”
The pulmonary clinic operates every second and fourth Tuesday from 1–5 p.m., with appointments available by phone.
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center—located in Los Angeles—was founded in 1902. Its president is Thomas M. Priselac. The hospital functions as both a pediatric facility and training hospital; according to its 2022 annual report it admitted over 50,000 patients during that year.
Further information on wildfire smoke effects on health can be found at Cedars-Sinai’s blog.
