Effect of wildfires on heart development in zebrafish

Many Los Angeles residents started 2025 with an uncommon, but not unexpected surprise… wildfires. Just as has happened in the past, these wildfires caused devastating destruction. With thousands of buildings destroyed, and thousands displaced, the potency of these fires is indisputably high. According to the US Fire Administration, the places where humans meet wildfires, deemed wildland-urban interface (WUI) fires, have been increasing by approximately 2 million acres per year since 1970. When these such fires burn nearby buildings and structures, they release toxins into the environment. With wildfires becoming more and more frequent, as evident in examples such as the Palisades and Maui fires, their potentially hazardous effects on humans are becoming more of a threat. Several studies suggest that there is a significant connection between wildfire emissions and cardiovascular disease. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos are very sensitive to environmental materials and toxins, and therefore, in this project I used zebrafish as a model for investigating the effects of wildfire ashes on cardiovascular development. My hypothesis is that if I treat the zebrafish embryos with wildfire ash, then they will show cardiovascular defects. The data collected from my experiments displays that exposure to wildfire ashes results in cardiovascular defects in zebrafish embryos. This research has relevance for the health and wellbeing of humans and other animals who live in the many WUI areas in the United State. The other implication of my study is to provide information about hazardous materials to the US army, first responders (i.e., firefighters), and US forest service personnel to ensure their safety, to protect health, and prevent environmental damage while saving the lives of individuals directly affected by WUI fires.