Presented by Tristan Hallum at the 92nd Annual American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA) Conference in Portland, OR.

Abstract:

In January 2025, the Eaton Wildfire devastated the Altadena region of Los Angeles County, destroying over 9,000 structures and leaving more than 1,400 swimming pools damaged and non-functional. While wildfire recovery efforts typically prioritize housing, utilities, and health infrastructure, mosquito breeding and vector control are often overlooked in early phases of disaster response. For the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District, the sheer number of compromised swimming pools created an unprecedented public health challenge requiring immediate intervention.

With no prior disaster response in the agency’s history, the District rapidly developed and implemented a comprehensive control, surveillance, and education strategy targeting non-functional swimming pools within the burn area. This effort was supported by an extraordinary level of interagency cooperation. Multiple avenues of reimbursement and assistance were pursued through local, state, and federal programs, successfully securing vital resources to sustain the response. Strong relationships with health care partners, legislators, and state agencies proved critical, generating key endorsements and logistical support.

Despite the scale and severity of the disaster, all control and surveillance objectives were achieved during the first six months of response. The District’s rapid actions prevented mosquito proliferation in a disaster landscape where traditional recovery frameworks had not accounted for vector-borne disease risk. Importantly, this event underscored both the vulnerability of post-disaster environments to vector breeding and the critical need to formally integrate vector control into disaster recovery planning.

The wildfire’s destruction created persistent mosquito habitats that will continue to pose risks until fully remediated. Although reconstruction is progressing rapidly, long-term control and surveillance remain essential. Strategic planning is underway to sustain these efforts and to ensure that lessons learned from the Eaton Wildfire enhance preparedness, coordination, and resilience for future environmental disasters.

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