About Project Pulmonary
In January 2025, the Palisades Fire burned through our Southern California community. We started Project Pulmonary to support the firefighters who were exposed to its smoke.
Our Origin
On January 7, 2025, after eight months without measurable rain, Santa Ana winds gusting up to 80 mph drove a fire through Pacific Palisades, Topanga, and Malibu. It became the most destructive wildfire in the history of Los Angeles.
The fire burned in our home region for 24 days while firefighters worked in heavy smoke to contain it. We started Project Pulmonary to learn how that smoke affects firefighters’ lungs and to help protect their health.
- Acres burned
- 23,448
- Structures destroyed
- 6,845
- Lives lost
- 12
- Days to containment
- 24
Watch: The Fires That Started It
Project Pulmonary is a 501(c)(3) public health nonprofit organization focused on lung cancer prevention in firefighters, specifically through pulmonary rehabilitation for those chronically exposed to wildfire carcinogens.
Founders
Bettina Lee
Growing up as a Southern California native, wildfires were an inescapable reality. When the 2025 Palisades Wildfire devastated my SoCal community, I began to learn more about the carcinogens found in wildfire smoke. It was in that moment that I discovered the lung cancer risk associated with wildfire VOC inhalation and how often it is overlooked. These experiences inspired me to combine my passion for public health and lung cancer prevention with community service, founding Project Pulmonary to protect firefighter health, promote lung cancer prevention, and inspire the next generation of changemakers.
Elena
My grandmother was diagnosed with lung cancer only after it had already spread, as no one had screened her early enough. This precise detail became my conviction: catching disease early, before symptoms appear, is often the difference between treatable and terminal. When the Palisades wildfire devastated my community, Southern California, that conviction found new urgency. I watched firefighters inhale thick, carcinogenic smoke with no real protection and no system in place to track what that exposure would mean for their lungs years later. I founded Project Pulmonary because firefighters deserved protection at every stage: prevention before exposure, care after it, and policy to make that protection permanent.
Wildfire Smoke and Lung Cancer Risk
Wildfires are growing larger, Southern California faces some of the highest wildfire risk in the country, and firefighters are regularly exposed to smoke linked to lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.
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01
124,990U.S. lung cancer deaths projected in 2026
Lung Cancer Is the Leading Cause of Cancer Death
Lung cancer causes about one in five cancer deaths, more than colon, breast, and prostate cancer combined.
1 in 5 cancer deaths -
02
67%five-year survival when found early
Early Detection Improves Survival
Once it spreads, survival drops to 12%. That’s why every delivery we make carries a screening reminder.
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03
#1U.S. metro for homes at wildfire risk
Los Angeles Has the Most Homes at Wildfire Risk
More than 245,000 homes in the Los Angeles metro face moderate or greater wildfire risk, more than any other metro in the country. It’s where both of our founders grew up.
California: 48% of all at-risk U.S. homes -
04
~2×western U.S. forest area burned since 1984
Climate Change Is Increasing Wildfire Size
Human-caused climate change nearly doubled the forest area burned in the western U.S., an extra 16,000 square miles.
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05
+43%lung cancer death risk for wildland crews
Firefighters Face a Higher Lung Cancer Risk
Wildland firefighters face up to a 43% higher risk of dying from lung cancer, and career firefighters have a 14% higher cancer death rate overall.
Sources: American Cancer Society (2026) · ACS survival rates · CoreLogic 2024 Wildfire Risk Report · Abatzoglou & Williams, PNAS (2016) · Navarro et al., USDA Forest Service (2019) · NIOSH · CAL FIRE Palisades Fire incident
Programs
1. Community Chapters
200+ student-led chapters in 40+ countries organize drives and outreach in their own communities.
2. Station Partnerships
Chapters connect with local crews and deliver supplies in person, station by station.
3. Classroom Engagement
K–8 students learn about lung health and write screening reminders to firefighters.
Team Testimonials
Our national team is run entirely by students. Here is why they joined.
Hi, my name is Jaiden Bloodworth, and I'm so excited to be a part of the Project Pulmonary Executive Team. I serve as the Government Affairs Director, and my team will focus on lobbying government officials on behalf of every firefighter. I believe every firefighter should have the resources and support necessary to serve their communities, and that Project Pulmonary is the best way to help them. My team and I hope to raise awareness about hazardous environments and enhance cancer prevention through our governmental efforts. I hope that, through my participation, I will connect like-minded individuals to prevent future problems and provide current solutions in this field. I'm very excited to work with this team, and I look forward to what we accomplish in the future!
Hey, my name is Harshitha Venkatesan, and I'm so excited to be part of this initiative. I serve as the Community Outreach National Board Director, and what draws me most to Project Pulmonary is its focus on education, awareness, and making a real difference in people's lives. I think what Project Pulmonary does is really important because it teaches people about lung health, how to prevent problems, and helping spread important information about lung health and prevention. Being part of this also connects to what I want to do in the future because I'm interested in healthcare and helping people. I'm proud to be part of something that makes a difference in people's lives and supports our community!!
Hi my name is Christy Chen, I am so proud to be a part of Project Pulmonary. Project Pulmonary's mission is extremely inspiring and meaningful as it focuses on spreading awareness about lung health and cancer prevention as well as bettering the lives of firefighters. I love being able to do something and help out my community and especially our firefighters that work so hard to keep us safe.
Hi, my name is Siri Damu, and I'm really happy for the opportunity to be part of this. I think Project Pulmonary's mission is really meaningful because it focuses on spreading awareness and education about lung health and prevention, which is something that impacts so many people. My team works on creating podcasts and articles to help make medical topics more accessible and engaging. Being part of this connects a lot to my future goals, as I plan to pursue pre-med in college and eventually become a pediatric cardiologist. I'm really interested in combining education, advocacy, and patient care to make a meaningful impact in healthcare. Overall, I'm excited to be involved in something that aligns so closely with what I hope to do in the future.
I'm proud to be a part of an initiative that gives back to the community providing so much for us. Being in Project Pulmonary allows me to combine advocacy, service, and health education, building a future together where firefighters and families can have the support that they have long deserved.
Chapter Events
Get Involved
Start one at your school, fund the next delivery, or bring Project Pulmonary to your department.
Project Pulmonary is a 501(c)(3). Every gift is tax-deductible.
Backed and Funded By
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