Wildfires in Southern California have killed at least 25 people and destroyed at least 12,000 structures since they began burning January 7. Still, area health systems have largely remained operational.
Here’s how the wildfires have affected health care operations, employees and priorities in Southern California:
Which Facilities Have Closed?
UCLA Health’s Family Medicine clinic in Pacific Palisades was destroyed in the fire, Phil Hampton, the health system’s senior director of communications, told Newsweek on January 14. The health system is contacting the clinic’s patients to offer appointments at other locations or virtual visits.
In addition to the family medicine clinic, a small number of UCLA’s 280 community clinics temporarily closed—mainly because of public safety utility shutdowns and proximity to evacuation zones, according to Hampton. Some have reopened in recent days, but as of Tuesday evening, clinic operations were still impacted in Calabasas, Malibu and Pacific Palisades.
Fortunately, all UCLA Health hospitals are outside of evacuation warning zones and have remained open and operational. Surgery and procedure scheduling processes have not changed, Hampton said.
Search-and-rescue teams look for victims in the rubble of a beachfront home in Malibu, California, on January 14. Search-and-rescue teams look for victims in the rubble of a beachfront home in Malibu, California, on January 14. Valerie Macon, Getty Images
Cedars-Sinai has reopened the majority of outpatient offices and surgery centers that temporarily closed and resumed a full surgical schedule, the system reported. However, some locations in Altadena remain closed, and health care professionals in the Brentwood/West L.A. office are currently seeing patients virtually, according to the health system’s most recent update on Thursday.
AltaMed Health Services’ Pasadena medical center was destroyed by the Eaton fire, the health system shared in a January 8 X post. Everyone was safely evacuated, according to the post. AltaMed’s website shows that three medical group locations are temporarily closed in addition to the Pasadena medical center.
All Kaiser Permanente facilities remain fully operational, the health system told Newsweek in a statement on Tuesday.
MemorialCare—which operates its nearest facility about 30 miles from the affected area—and Scripps Health—which is more than 100 miles south of Los Angeles County—both told Newsweek they are continuously monitoring conditions but have not closed any facilities.
How California Wildfires Have Impacted Local Health Care Operations
