Doctors, brace yourselves. The health fallout from CA’s wildfires is about to get very real

By Lisa Marie Basile | Fact-checked by Davi Sherman
Published January 22, 2025

Key Takeaways

Industry Insights

  • “Wildfire smoke is a complex mixture of pollutants, but it is known to exacerbate respiratory conditions like asthma and COPD. There can also be spikes in mortality from underlying conditions made worse by air pollutant exposures, particularly respiratory and cardiovascular.” Gail Carlson, PhD, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at Colby College

  • “Wildfire trauma is both personal and collective. Entire neighborhoods and communities are often devastated, amplifying the pain and sense of loss. Addressing both physical and emotional needs honors the depth and complexity of survivors’ experiences while extending compassionate, tangible support.” Melody Li, LMFT, Founder of Inclusive Therapists

Since the start of the new year, a series of wildfires have devastated Los Angeles and its surrounding areas. With the fires still raging, vulnerable populations—including individuals with heart and lung conditions, pregnant women, children, first responders, and those with disabilities—are at heightened risk for severe health complications. Doctors are bracing for an increase in emergency room visits, though the full extent of the health impact remains uncertain. Here's what we do know about these patient populations and their risk.

Patients with underlying health conditions and vulnerable immune systems

The smoke, which can blow across long distances, contains dangerous gases and particulate matter from manmade materials, buildings, trees, and plants. Certain patients are at increased risk of getting sick due to wildfire inhalation. These include people with COPD, heart disease, asthma, or diabetes; people who are pregnant; kids; and first responders.

“We haven't seen many news reports yet, but [there’s] no doubt there has been a spike in emergency department visits for respiratory illnesses due to wildfire smoke exposure,” says Gail Carlson, PhD, assistant professor of Environmental Studies at Colby College who studies how the environment impacts human health. 

“Wildfire smoke is a complex mixture of pollutants, but it is known to exacerbate respiratory conditions like asthma and COPD,” Dr. Carlson continues.

“There can also be spikes in mortality from underlying conditions made worse by air pollutant exposures, particularly respiratory and cardiovascular, and this might show up in health data from LA as it is studied moving forward. In addition, there will likely emerge data on health impacts in firefighters, but it's too soon to know.”

Particulate matter is a major problem

A key issue? Fine particulate matter, or PM 2.5, which contains high levels of carcinogens.[] These particles can cause long-term issues, like pregnancy problems, lung disease, and cancer.

Patients with disabilities

The fires also posed an especially serious risk to elderly and disabled Americans. In fact, the majority of the people who died in the fires were disabled, according to an article published inThe American Journal of Managed Care: “[M]ost of the 25 residents who were confirmed to have died during the fire were either aged 65 years or older or had a physical disability that made evacuation near impossible.”[] Two of the residents had cerebral palsy, while another had a leg amputation, making it impossible to evacuate without emergency assistance. 

Patients with trauma

Research has found that poor mental health outcomes after disasters stem from disruptions in things like employment or housing, according to the Harvard Gazette.[] The community of LA will no doubt be experiencing multiple layers of trauma and grief, says Melody Li, LMFT, the founder of Inclusive Therapists.

“Wildfire trauma is both personal and collective. Entire neighborhoods and communities are often devastated, amplifying the pain and sense of loss. Addressing both physical and emotional needs honors the depth and complexity of survivors’ experiences while extending compassionate, tangible support,” Li says

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