LA fires killed hundreds more than reported, according to new medical study
The Eaton and Palisades fires that ravaged Los Angeles in June officially killed 31 people. However, a new report from a medical journal estimates that the number is really closer to 440 people.
New medical journal report
The Journal of the American Medical Association, or JAMA, released a detailed study on Wednesday outlining their findings. They analyzed data on the number of deaths in L.A. County from Jan. 5 to Feb. 1.
They compared those numbers to previous years and found more than 440 deaths could be attributed to those fires. The study used excess deaths that were “partially attributable,” such as heart or lung conditions made worse by smoke or stress, and “indirect deaths” that include general health system disruptions and mental health impacts.
“As we all know, the wildfire smoke contains many toxic substances and particles, so those who were on the front lines, as well as affected communities, were exposed to many things that could increase their risk for disease later on,” Andrew Stokes, lead study author, told CBS News Los Angeles.
The authors said the impact on emergency services and people’s ability to access them were ascertained by comparing the strain on medical centers during the fires with normal situations and other climate-related emergencies.
The authors did note some of the study’s limitations, including the fact that the number of deaths could actually be higher, considering data revision and additional deaths after Feb. 1.
“Although numerous robustness tests were performed, it is possible that the estimates were affected by residual or unmeasured confounding. Future research should investigate the longer-term impacts of the Los Angeles wildfires as additional data become available and assess the specific causes of death contributing to excess wildfire-related mortality,” the study read.
Hawaii wildfires
JAMA also released two studies on the impacts of the Maui wildfires, which burned down large swaths of the island in August 2023.
Officially, those fires killed more than 100 people and destroyed thousands of structures.
One of the new studies shows a group of adults impacted by those fires had substantial heart, lung and psychological issues following the fires.
“Nearly half of the [study] participants reported persistent respiratory symptoms, and living within the fire perimeter was associated with both higher odds of reporting these symptoms and lower measured lung function,” the study read.
The study also called the mental health burdens “substantial,” which is where the second study comes in with alarming numbers.
That study found the fires were associated with a 97% increase in the suicide and overdose death rate in Maui in Aug. 2023.
“Study findings highlight the importance of rapidly deploying suicide and overdose prevention interventions during wildfire response and recovery phases and ensuring that interventions reach communities beyond areas directly impacted.”
Cost of wildfires
The Maui fires ended with a $4 billion settlement between victims and the utility company Hawaiian Electric.
In the L.A. fires, numerous lawsuits blame the Eaton Fire on utility company Southern California Edison, which could pass the cost on to customers.
The rebuild also continues and, at times, has been slow-going. Thousands of residents continue to navigate red tape to rebuild despite some attempts from Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom to ease that burden.
But even as the city recovers from those fires, another massive fire currently burns north of L.A. County. The Gifford Fire has burned more than 90,000 acres and is still under 10% contained.
At least three people have been hurt so far in that fire, including two government workers.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
