One year after a series of wildfires devastated the Los Angeles area, residents and health experts are still dealing with the consequences. The fires, which began on January 7 of last year in Pacific Palisades and included incidents in Eaton, Hurst, Kenneth, Hughes, and Sepulveda, destroyed over 55,000 acres of land. Nearly 16,000 homes were lost and about 440 people died.
Health professionals at UCLA Health say that while the flames have been extinguished, significant health issues remain for many community members. Dr. David Eisenman, professor-in-residence at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health said: “This was a catastrophic event that changed much of Los Angeles — its community, its landscape and our health.”
He added: “We are, not surprisingly, still suffering the consequences in many ways. Families have not returned to their homes, and high levels of pollutants remain in communities. It’s a tough place to be a year later.”
Respiratory problems have become common among those exposed to wildfire smoke or those with existing lung conditions. According to Dr. May-Lin Wilgus, pulmonologist and associate clinical professor at UCLA Health: “Initially, I definitely saw a spike in patients presenting with exacerbations or flare-ups of their lung condition, which was most commonly asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). But I think there were a lot of people who did not seek medical care at the time and later experienced increased symptoms.”
She continued: “Many individuals who followed up with me six months later also mentioned their symptoms flared with the fires. These patients often had continued exposures — such as returning to smoke-damaged homes or encountering high levels of heavy-metal contamination — so it does seem to be a trigger.”
Dr. Wilgus recommends improving indoor air quality through HEPA filters and preparing for emergencies by keeping supplies on hand and having evacuation plans.
Mental health remains another major concern for survivors. Emanuel Maidenberg, clinical professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine stated: “People most closely affected — such as those who lost their houses or belongings — often experience the greatest impact. Individuals with a history of prolonged anxiety or depression also tend to have difficulty recovering from events of this kind.”
“This is a really traumatic event that takes time to recover from,” he said. “So, these populations may experience slower recovery because the reminders are ever present, and their lives have changed.”
Dr. Eisenman explained that disruptions caused by housing instability have affected children’s education and family finances: “This has caused a lot of disruption to children’s schooling, time off from work and significant stress related to navigating insurance claims and rebuilding homes — all while families are still trying to process the trauma.” He noted ongoing studies examining mental health outcomes among evacuees.
Maidenberg believes visible signs like damaged properties will fade over time but cautions that emotional effects can linger: “Over time, people will talk about it less, and we will think about it less often,” he explained. “But I think we are all a little bit more cautious…as well as mindful of the initial shock…and loss.”
Researchers are just beginning to understand how these wildfires affect long-term health outcomes for communities in Los Angeles County.
To help collect data on fire-related health impacts quickly, Drs. Eisenman and Arash Naeim established the UCLA Wildfire Impacted Communities Research Registry which currently includes around 4,440 local participants willing to join research studies on wildfire effects.
Eisenman described its purpose: “The registry allows UCLA doctors and (other) health care professionals to better understand the health needs of patients and our community…There will be other fires…We really need to know this in order to better protect health.”
One current study is investigating differences between residents who evacuated promptly versus those who stayed behind during fires: “We expect that individuals who stayed behind to defend their homes will experience less fire-related property damage,” said Eisenman.”At the same time…we anticipate that these individuals will face more health consequences from staying behind…”
Eisenman highlighted efforts by UCLA staff during last year’s disasters: “UCLA really stepped up in a lot of ways…The administration moved quickly to support staff while the academic community worked to gather data…”
He concluded: “The wildfires continue to teach us that…communities must come together…Learning how to evacuate safely prepare as a community …is crucial — and coming together makes the whole community stronger.”
