Particle.news
Download on the App Store
16 ARTICLES
·
yesterday

JAMA Research Reveals Hidden Death Toll and Lasting Health Damage From Maui and Los Angeles Wildfires

Recent JAMA publications quantify hundreds of uncounted wildfire deaths accompanied by persistent respiratory and mental health harms

The uncleared lot where a 19th victim of the Eaton Fire was found on July 24, 2025, in Altadena, Calif., bringing the official death toll to 31 more than six months after unprecedented wildfires swept through broad swaths of Los Angeles.
Image
FILE - Damage from wildfires is seen in Lahaina, Hawaii, on Aug. 11, 2023 . (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
People stand on the stump of a tree lost to the Eaton Fire during a memorial service honoring the 19 people who perished during the fire, on July 7, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. The memorial service was held at the edge of the property where Evelyn McClendon, 59, lived before losing her life in the fire.

Overview

  • A JAMA study estimated 440 excess deaths in Los Angeles County from January 5 to February 1, 2025, far exceeding the official toll of 31 fatalities
  • Researchers attributed the excess deaths to toxic smoke exposure exacerbating heart and lung conditions and to healthcare delays during and after the fires
  • A University of Hawaii–led assessment found about 22% of Maui residents surveyed six to fourteen months after the August 2023 wildfires exhibited below-normal lung function
  • A New York University analysis recorded a 97% spike in suicide and overdose deaths on Maui during the wildfire month, recording 13 fatalities linked to mental health crises
  • Authors call for improved mortality surveillance and targeted public health interventions to address indirect and long-term impacts of climate-driven wildfires