The Human Cost of Wildfires: Protecting Health in a Changing Climate

Recorded: January 27, 2025

As recovery efforts continue in the wake of the Los Angeles-area wildfires, the need for clear, evidence-based guidance on protecting communities and people’s wellbeing has never been more urgent. Leading experts in climate science, pediatrics, mental health, environmental health, and climate adaptation explored wide-ranging short-term and long-term health risks posed by wildfires — from anxiety and trauma to environmental toxicity —and shared practical strategies for building resilience and protecting communities.

Speakers:

Britt Wray | Director, Community-minded Interventions for Resilience, Climate Leadership, and Emotional Well-being (CIRCLE)

Marshall Burke | Associate Professor of Environmental Social Sciences, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability

Lisa Patel | Executive Director, Medical Society Consortium n Climate and Health; Pediatrician, Stanford School of Medicine

Moderated by: Chris Field | Perry L. McCarty Director, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment