A key advocate for 9/11 victims is raising alarms that the fire at the Palisades last year could lead to serious respiratory issues for many, comparing it to the post-9/11 aftermath in New York City.
Michael Barasch, a lawyer who has represented numerous first responders and survivors from 9/11, criticized California officials for their lack of adequate warnings about the risks posed by smoke from the devastating fires.
“We know how perilous the wildfires in Los Angeles were, yet they never advised the public to wear respirators or evacuate,” he stated in a recent interview. “It’s crucial to protect children from these toxins. I believe our government should extend the same rights to California residents that it offers to public safety officials.”
Barasch has previously represented James Zadroga, an NYPD officer who died young from lung disease linked to toxic dust from the 9/11 attacks. The tragedy led to the establishment of a fund to support 9/11 survivors and first responders, known as the James Zadroga 9/11 Health Compensation Act of 2010.
Zadroga didn’t have the right respiratory gear, which ultimately contributed to his death. Barasch is concerned that without proper communication from officials, many survivors from the Palisades area might also face serious health issues down the line.
The Palisades Fire wreaked havoc, damaging communities and leading to billions of dollars in losses, with about 13,000 homes destroyed. Efforts to rebuild are still underway.
Barasch, who himself battled cancer related to the events of 9/11, expressed fears that victims of the fires would suffer respiratory problems akin to those experienced after the attacks in 2001. He pointed fingers at state leaders for failing to sufficiently inform residents about the smoke’s dangers.
“If we ignore the lessons of the past, we might find ourselves in a similar crisis,” Barasch noted, referring to government responses post-9/11. “It’s almost like they refuse to acknowledge, ‘We should have warned them about the risks.’”
He emphasized that authorities should have instructed residents returning to their homes to wear respiratory protection and have their properties professionally cleaned. “It’s unfortunate we didn’t communicate this vital information, because these residents may also suffer from respiratory diseases,” he lamented.
Barasch indicated that there should be a fund established for those impacted by the Palisades Fire and urged officials to encourage medical evaluations for potential health impacts from the toxic fumes.
He acknowledged uncertainty over the exact size of such a fund—similar to one created in New York for 9/11 survivors—but noted “eerie” parallels between the challenges faced by both groups. In New York, certain cancers were shown to be significantly more prevalent among survivors, suggesting that residents of Los Angeles should also understand their increased health risks.
Barasch mentioned plans for independent medical testing to evaluate which cancers or respiratory diseases individuals might be at risk for. He stressed the moral obligation to take action and criticized the government for their inadequate response, asserting, “People are getting sick, and some are dying as a result of this failure.”
Experts at UCLA are observing that survivors are still grappling with the fires’ effects, both physically and psychologically. “The fallout from the fires continues to linger long after, affecting the community and public health,” noted Dr. David Eisenman of UCLA.
Dr. Maylin Wilgus, a pulmonologist at UCLA, reported that many early patients had pre-existing lung issues worsened by the fires, while others who sought follow-up care experienced worsening symptoms linked to ongoing exposure to contaminated environments.
