Air-quality researcher Yifang Zhu’s research team was preparing for a field study on January 7, 2025, when the Los Angeles wildfires started in the Palisades and Eaton Canyon. Acting quickly, they shifted their focus to measuring air quality in and around the fires. A year later, Zhu’s multiple research projects and papers are helping the public better understand the air they breathe during and after a firestorm.

Watch the video above to learn more about their work, and read the latest research findings from her team here.