Depression, suicide, excessive doses: the wide effects of American forest fires that were revealed in the study | forest fires

A new research was thrown in the wake of some of the most frequently later -ranging fires that struck the devastating effects of disaster on human health, with effects that exceeded the official number of death and injuries.

Three studies published this week are studying long -term repercussions of the fires of Maui and Los Angeles, including depression, suicide deaths, excess dose, lung damage and death caused by health care disorders.

Hawaii killed in August 2023 more than 100 people, in what was the bloodiest in the United States fire for more than a century, and destroyed the city of The Hague. The fires that tore the Los Angeles societies in Altadina and Pacific Palisades earlier this year killed 31 people and destroyed more than 18,000 structures.

Some new research has found that Maui fire left one of the five people with lung damage, and up to half of the symptoms of depression.

This study, in which Robin Khwariz from the University of Hawaii, viewed more than 1,100 adults after six to 14 months of a Maui fire. Less lung function was found in people in areas close to the fire compared to those in low exposure areas, with about 22 % of lung functions without natural.

In addition, about 40 % of people have reported that their health has decreased since the fires, according to the study, mentioned nearly half of fatigue, weakness, eye irritation and lung -related symptoms.

“It is a blatant reminder that forest fires can leave an invisible but permanent scar on the health of the respiratory system, after a long period of fire,” Khuraiz told Associated Press in an e -mail.

During the fire, 13 suicide cases were reported in the area, almost doubled by normal death rates and excess dose.

The Los Angeles fires study, led by researchers in Finland, concluded that in addition to at least 30 deaths attributed to the fire, there can be blame for more than 400 deaths between January and February at this event due to health care interruption and other factors.

“Studies add” a really important piece to understand the real health risks of these extremist climatic events. “

Since the climate crisis feeds disasters that are exacerbated throughout the United States, from floods to deadly forest fires, scientists are trying to obtain a better understanding of the effects of harsh weather events. Research has increased on the effects of fire smoke in recent years, as the huge fire has caused the orange and unhealthy air sky of millions of people from the West Coast to New York.

The 2021 study found that smoking breathing in the wilderness during pregnancy raises the risk of premature birth. Research, which was published earlier this year, found that the climate crisis contributed to about 15,000 deaths of exposure to small gem from forest fires and cost about $ 160 billion between 2006 and 2020. Another study, published in 2024, decided that smoke in the wildfire killed more than 50,000 people in California over a decade.

Christie App of Washington University noticed that there is an increasing understanding that wild smoke could be more toxic than standard air pollution.

She said: “It is not just papers, branches and trees”. “They are buildings. They are gasoline stations. They are old homes that have asbestos in them. They are cars. There are many wild smoke components.”

She said that the study of a Maui fire indicates that “this toxicity affects the long -term lung function,” but she noticed that more research is needed to consider the cause and the result.

Meanwhile, research that calculates the rates of suicide deaths and excess dose in the other four provinces of Mauii and Hawaii found a 97 % increase in both Maui during the month of forest fires. The total number of suicide deaths and excess dose was 13 of that month, most of them suicide. This is a significant increase, and said EBI.

They also found a 46 % increase in these deaths in all five provinces, which may have been affected by the residents of the displaced people who migrate to other islands. But prices decreased in the following months.

In addition to studies published this week, a new report from Economic Research Organization at Hawaii University (UHERO), which is based on nearly 950 -year -old data, has documented challenges that continue for those affected by the Maui fire. Two years later, some found permanent housing and greater economic stability, but many people are still transverse and faced a long -term loss of income and high rental burdens.

While permanent housing is increasing, poverty rates in the region have almost doubled, as labor has not returned full -time to pre -fire levels and about 60 % of families are less than low income.

“The results we have reached are two realitys that reveal side by side,” said Daniela Bond Smith, who is under research at UHO. “Some families find equally – moving to stable housing, returning to work and restoring stability. But others still live with deep uncertainty, especially those who have limited support and population groups who were already marginalized before the fires.”