When wildfires erupted across Southern California in January 2025, Direct Relief turned to satellite data to understand the scale of destruction—and to trusted community health partners to meet urgent medical needs on the ground. A recent feature by NASA’s Applied Sciences Program highlights how real-time imagery and damage modeling supported Direct Relief’s situational awareness as fires swept through Los Angeles County.
Mapping the Threat from Above
In the days following the Eaton Fire in Altadena, researchers from Direct Relief and partner institutions used radar imagery from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite to assess structural damage. When layered with fire perimeter data and public infrastructure maps, the result was a publicly available interactive model showing likely damage across the region—including near health facilities.
The analysis, developed in collaboration with Oregon State University’s Jamon Van Den Hoek, Microsoft’s AI for Good, RxResponse, the Bureau of Primary Health Care, and Direct Relief, helped responders quickly understand which areas faced the most severe impacts.
That understanding was critical for evaluating risks to healthcare infrastructure. By integrating remote-sensing damage assessments with health facility databases—from California’s OSHPD to the federal Bureau of Primary Health Care—Direct Relief identified several clinics and care centers within the Eaton Fire zone that were either destroyed or likely damaged.
Among those facilities:
- AltaMed
- Pinnacle Health
- Alta Loma Hospice
- Two Palms Care Center
Each appeared within or near zones where AI modeling detected damage to more than 50% of structures. A nearby dialysis center, while undamaged, sat directly adjacent to areas of total destruction, raising urgent questions about access, staff safety, and operational continuity.
“Satellite data allowed us to rapidly assess risks to health infrastructure in real time. That understanding shaped how we engaged with partners on the ground.”
— Andrew Schroeder, VP of Research and Analysis, Direct Relief
Responding on the Ground: Pasadena
While satellites revealed the scope of damage, local providers were already responding to the human toll. Evacuees arrived at the Pasadena Convention Center in waves, transforming five event halls into emergency dormitories. Many arrived without medications, supplies, or access to care.
Among the first to respond was AltaMed Health Services, a nonprofit community health center and longtime Direct Relief partner. Despite losing one of its own clinics to the fire—and with several staff members personally displaced—AltaMed mobilized immediately to provide triage, medications, and emergency transport for high-risk patients.
“These are our patients. Our neighbors. They trust us in our clinics, and they need to know we’re out here with them.”
— Fernando Fierro, Vice President of Nursing Services, AltaMed
To support AltaMed’s emergency and recovery work, Direct Relief rushed essential medications to the shelter and awarded more than $1 million to expand outreach in fire-impacted neighborhoods. The support enabled mobile health units, additional staff, culturally responsive recovery planning, and point-of-care services for thousands of patients.
Rethinking Preparedness Through Data
That experience on the ground helped shape a broader discussion about what smarter disaster recovery could look like.
In June, Direct Relief hosted a Smart Recovery in Los Angeles workshop at the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County. The event brought together researchers, emergency officials, and technology partners to explore how data and artificial intelligence can improve wildfire resilience.
Led by Andrew Schroeder, the workshop focused on identifying what populations were displaced, how needs changed over time, and what long-term support is most urgent—particularly in communities already facing housing, health, and insurance challenges.
Participants included representatives from NASA, Harvard University, Meta AI for Good, the California Office of Emergency Services, the California Department of Public Health, Mapillary, Watch Duty, and CrisisReady (a collaboration between Direct Relief and Harvard Public Health).
“If we want to change how people approach disaster preparedness, we have to stop seeing it as just rescue and recovery. It’s really about stabilizing well-being and livelihoods—both in the immediate aftermath and over the long term.”
— Andrew Schroeder, Direct Relief
Sessions covered infrastructure risk, environmental health, chronic disease management, and AI-powered damage assessments. Insights from the workshop will inform a forthcoming white paper on advancing data-driven disaster recovery—not only in Los Angeles but across wildfire-prone regions nationwide.
Recovery in Progress: Continuing Support for Affected Communities
Since January 7, Direct Relief has delivered more than $12.9 million in wildfire-related support across Los Angeles County, including:
- $8 million in grants to sixty-five community-based organizations—from search and rescue teams to school-based mental health programs
- $4.9 million in donated medical aid, including:
- 146,000+ defined daily doses of medications for asthma, diabetes, mental health, and skin-related conditions.
- 140,000+ N95 respirators, donated by 3M, to protect against wildfire smoke.
- 16,000+ protective gear kits for residents returning to burn zones.
This support has helped stabilize health access, strengthen local response capacity, and safeguard vulnerable populations.
As the region shifts from crisis response to long-term recovery, Direct Relief’s efforts are focused on strengthening health systems and supporting community resilience:
- Mobile medical outreach through trusted partners, including AltaMed, Medical Mission Adventures, and Venice Family Clinic
- School-based mental health programs, including trauma-informed counseling and classroom recovery initiatives.
- Wraparound care for youth, seniors, and families navigating trauma, displacement, and disrupted services.
- Rental assistance for households facing housing instability due to fire-related damage and loss.
As wildfires grow more frequent and destructive, Direct Relief continues to invest in the data, partnerships, and community infrastructure needed to protect health and advance resilience—before, during, and long after disaster strikes.
