A new study from Cedars-Sinai is shedding light on the potential health impacts of the January wildfires in Los Angeles County—and the findings are alarming.
Researchers analyzed emergency department visit data over a three-month period beginning January 7, 2025, the day the fires ignited. That data was then compared with emergency room visits during the same time frame in each year from 2018 through 2024.
In the 90 days following the Eaton and Pacific Palisades fires, Cedars-Sinai’s emergency department recorded a 118% increase in visits for general illness, a 46% increase in heart attacks, and a 24% rise in pulmonary-related visits. Overall ER visits did not increase.
The study also found that abnormal blood test results more than doubled after the fires. This points to measurable physiological effects linked to wildfire exposure, and suggests the surge in certain illnesses was not simply the result of stress, anxiety, or psychosomatic responses.
Cedars-Sinai is located roughly 10 miles from the Pacific Palisades and about 20 miles from Altadena, where the Eaton Fire began. That puts the hospital well within the region affected by smoke and diminished air quality.
Read more about the findings here.