Impact of the January 2025 Los Angeles Firestorm on People Experiencing Homelessness.

Abstract

<b>Objectives.</b> To provide a descriptive assessment of self-reported injury and life disruption attributable to the January 2025 Los Angeles County (LAC), California, firestorm among a sample of people experiencing homelessness (PEH). <b>Methods.</b> We integrated firestorm impact measures into an ongoing longitudinal survey of PEH in LAC. Adult PEH who completed the December 2024 and January 2025 surveys were included. <b>Results.</b> Among 374 respondents (average age 40 years, 45.7% female, 35.8% Hispanic, 23.5% non-Hispanic Black, 30.2% non-Hispanic White, 84.1% chronically homeless), 286 (76.5%) reported life disruption or injury from the firestorm. Compared with sheltered or housed respondents (n = 144), unsheltered vehicular respondents (n = 111) and unsheltered public respondents (n = 119) were more likely to report having their lives in danger, being injured, damage to living space, having to evacuate, damage or loss of belongings, and difficulty finding shelter. Those in evacuation zones (n = 48) more frequently reported having to evacuate, prolonged smoke exposure, and difficulty finding shelter. <b>Conclusions.</b> The firestorm caused injury or disruption for most survey participants, especially unsheltered PEH. <b>Public Health Implications.</b> Wildfire disaster preparedness and response should integrate homeless service coordination, with attention to unsheltered PEH. (<i>Am J Public Health</i>. 2026;116(6):790-797. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308510).