The destructive Los Angeles fires in January might be linked to 440 excess deaths, according to an Aug. 6 study by the American Medical Association.

The Palisades and Eaton fires directly caused 31 deaths as flames tore through communities and destroyed homes.

Researchers studied mortality rates in Los Angeles County to find whether the Palisades and Eaton fires caused additional health impacts that contributed to other deaths. They looked at possible lung or heart conditions exacerbated by smoke or stress, or death caused indirectly by disruptions to health systems and mental health impacts.

Weekly deaths consistently exceeded expected deaths in the county from Jan. 5 to Feb. 1, according to the report.

In total, 6,371 people died during the period studied, compared to the 5,931 expected, which was the average before the fires.

This indicates that 6.9 percent of the deaths—or 440—in Los Angeles County were excess deaths possibly caused by the fires, researchers said.

“These additional deaths likely reflect a combination of factors, including increased exposure to poor air quality and health care delays and interruptions,” authors Eugenio Paglino, Rafeya Raquib, and Andrew Stokes reported.

The study’s authors used data from 2018, 2019, and 2024 to determine the average of expected deaths during the same time frame to come up with the expected number of deaths. Years 2020 to 2023 were excluded because of the pandemic.

“The findings from this study underscore the need to complement direct fatalities estimates with alternative methods to quantify the additional mortality burden of wildfires and of climate-related emergencies more broadly,” the study reported. “They also highlight the need for improved mortality surveillance during and after wildfire emergencies.”

The study has limitations, according to the authors. The data may be revised in the future to include additional deaths. Also, additional excess deaths may have occurred beyond the period studied.

Researchers also said future studies should look into the longer-term impacts of the Los Angeles wildfires as more data becomes available.

Officials are still investigating the cause of the Palisades and Eaton fires that started in January.

Los Angeles County launched a reconstruction plan in July, titled LA County Forward: Blueprint for Rebuilding. The plan calls for streamlining the permit process and lowering construction costs.