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Los Angeles has experienced some of the world’s worst air quality this week as smoke from massive wildfires blankets the region and threatens the health of far more people than the fires themselves. And that will end up adding to the economic toll. Almost 180,000 have been forced to flee their homes and at least 10,000 structures have been destroyed or damaged. The fires are projected to cause $20 billion in insured losses, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co analysts. That damage projection doesn’t even factor in the likely high health impacts of the smoke, which cause an estimated billions in hidden health-linked costs in the US annually. (Hirji, 1/10)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency for California on Friday to address the health impacts of the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County. The declaration provides greater flexibility for Medicare and Medicaid providers and suppliers, enabling them to address emergency health needs, officials said. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra made the announcement, following President Biden’s major disaster declaration. (Schlepp, 1/10)

Southern California wildfires have forced health systems to close outpatient facilities throughout the area, limiting access to care. Dozens of fires surrounded Los Angeles County this week, scorching around 40,000 acres and destroying more than 10,000 homes, vehicles and businesses over a four-day span as of Friday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The largest wildfires, Palisades and Eaton, are less than 10% contained, the agency estimates. (Kacik, 1/10)

Entire neighborhoods in Southern California have been destroyed by deadly wildfires, displacing communities that don't know what — if anything — they'll have to return to. Researchers have linked wildfires to long-lasting anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder in survivors, in addition to the well-documented physical toll. (Rubin, 1/12)

Air quality in the Los Angeles region has plummeted due to smoke from the ongoing wildfires. And with all that smoke comes possible risks to human health. So what actually is smoke? Jessica Gilman, an atmospheric chemist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, explains what it's made of, how it behaves in the atmosphere, and smoke's role in climate change. (Kwong, Yungm and Ramirez, 1/13)

North Texas hospitals are preparing to operate in the inclement weather since medical emergencies won't wait till the winter storm passes. "We're here, and we're ready," said Debbie Boudreaux, the vice president of nursing and patient services at Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth. The hospital has plenty of food, medication and supplies on hand. There's also plenty of room for staff to stay on-site if needed. (Vandergriff, 1/12)

Despite the damage to its building and the disruption of service brought by Hurricane Debby in August, Sanford’s Helping Hand Clinic staff were better prepared to handle the chaos because of earlier guidance it had gotten for dealing with extreme weather. “We were closed for 11 days, without power for half a day and Wi-Fi and internet for nine days — it just was a whole catastrophe,” said clinic Director Gwendolyn Cooper. However, Cooper said, they were ready. (Atwater, 1/13)

Earth recorded its hottest year ever in 2024, with such a big jump that the planet temporarily passed a major climate threshold, weather monitoring agencies announced Friday. It’s the first time in recorded history that the planet was above a hoped-for limit to warming for an entire year, according to measurements from four of the six teams. Scientists say if Earth stays above the threshold long-term, it will mean increased deaths, destruction, species loss and sea level rise from the extreme weather that accompanies warming. (Borenstein, 1/10)