One year ago, in January 2025, wildfires forever changed the landscape in multiple LA communities, including the Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Before the smoke cleared, scientists began studying and documenting the impacts of these fires, hoping to understand the health effects of a widespread disaster in such a populous area.
One year later, on January 14, 2026, the LA Fires Research Conference gathered scientists and health professionals, along with policymakers, public officials, community leaders, and survivors, to share findings, lessons, and visions for the future of Los Angeles after the fires.
In opening remarks, UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk framed the gathering as an example of research designed to meet an urgent public need.
“This is truly an example of mission-driven research,” said Frenk, who is also a faculty member at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. “It connects not only different disciplines but different levels of analysis, and it connects with communities and policymakers to ensure that discoveries are translated into action.”
Building on that charge, the conference marked the first time many members of the consortium came together in person to share early findings, surface unanswered questions and begin shaping a coordinated response to inform the response to future disasters.
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Dr. David Eisenman, a professor-in-residence at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and at the Fielding School, has been a central architect of the research effort, helping connect and engage researchers across institutions and disciplines while keeping the work grounded in the practical needs of those impacted by the fires.
“This extraordinary disaster was met with an extraordinary research effort,” he said, noting that “this conference is intentionally broader than any single group because the strength of this field comes from the diversity of perspectives and methods represented in this room.”
Read more about the LA Fires Research Conference on the UCLA website.
Watch a story from KABC 7 about the conference: