Photo: Getty Images
A recent study reveals that firefighters who battled the Los Angeles fires in January had significantly high levels of lead and mercury in their blood. Dr. Kari Nadeau from Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health led the research, which is part of the L.A. Fire Health study. This study is a collaborative effort involving multiple universities to assess the health impacts of the fires.
Blood samples from 20 firefighters, who came from Northern California to assist with the Eaton and Palisades fires, showed lead levels five times higher and mercury levels three times higher than a control group of firefighters who fought a wildfire where only vegetation burned. Dr. Nadeau expressed concern about these findings, noting that wildfire smoke can trigger diseases in previously healthy individuals.
The L.A. Fire Health study, supported by the Spiegel Family Fund, aims to understand the short- and long-term health effects of the fires, which killed 29 people and destroyed over 16,000 structures. The study will examine various pollutants and their impact on respiratory, neurological, and cardiovascular health.
Researchers from Harvard, UCLA, UC Davis, and the University of Texas at Austin are involved in this 10-year study. They plan to monitor the firefighters and other affected residents to understand the potential long-term health effects of exposure to the toxic smoke. The findings will be shared with communities, firefighters, and government agencies to help mitigate future health risks.