Attention is turning to medical support in Los Angeles following the devastating wildfires which have swept through the west coast city.
Direct Relief is among the organisations mobilising into action. It has a long-standing commitment to supporting communities affected by wildfires, supplying critical resources such as oxygen concentrators, air purifiers and medical equipment to health centres in fire-prone areas.
While fire grabs the headlines – to date, more than 92 fires have been reported and 29,053 acres affected – smoke provides widespread and enduring exposure risks. Wildfire smoke is a mixture of small particles, gases and water vapour.
With wildfires raging across Southern California, fanned by strong winds, local municipalities are issuing air quality alerts. Masks can protect against larger particles, but most don’t block fine particles or toxic gases.
Smoke from wildfires contains harmful fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that can penetrate deep into the lungs, exacerbating asthma, bronchitis, and other chronic respiratory conditions.
Prolonged exposure to poor air quality caused by wildfire smoke can have cumulative effects, including developmental impacts on children and worsening of chronic diseases.
The American Lung Association recently ranked Los Angeles-Long Beach as the most polluted metropolitan area in the US for 2024, underscoring the urgent need for effective air quality solutions.
The Pacific Palisades wildfire alone destroyed over 1,000 structures and burned more than 5,000 acres, prompting the evacuation of 70,000 residents. The fires are estimated to cost up to $150bn in damages.
Evacuations often disrupt access to essential medications, medical care, and support services, placing additional strains on health service delivery.
The California Department of Public Health is coordinating with local health departments and other agencies to evacuate 15 health facilities and ensure safe transfer and placement of more than 700 impacted patients or residents.
UCLA Health has urged visits to its medical centre emergency departments ‘be reserved for urgent and life-threatening medical conditions’.
Another challenge has been the impact of winds on energy infrastructure, with the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power reporting extensive outages.
Four years ago, Los Angeles hospitals grappled with oxygen supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Supplies were not to blame but aging infrastructure that pumped oxygen to patient rooms was unable to keep up with high patient demand.
Despite the declared end of the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2023, the global need for medical oxygen remains critical.
