California Wildfires

On October 25, 2003, a massive wildfire began in San Diego County.

Over a period of three days, the air quality deteriorated to unhealthy and hazardous levels, prompting school cancellations and the public to stay at home.

In response to the fires, smoke, and circulating ash, San Diego County Public Health leveraged existing syndromic surveillance capabilities to assess impact on the county’s emergency medical system.