Rows of cars at a dealership, blasted by flames, looked like they had been bombed. A man wearing a mask walked by debris of a neighborhood destroyed. A couple, arms around each other, looked at what was left of their smoldering home. A statue of a human, without a head, lay on a street.

As wildfires blaze across California, here is how inhaling smoke could affect your health, from itchy eyes to dementia risk.

Southern California ‒ with sprawling cities, clogged freeways and heavy industry ‒ is already notorious for some of the worst air quality in the nation. This week's wildfires are putting millions of people at risk for immediate health problems and longer-term issues.

Buildings burned and other were charred from the Eaton Fire near Altadena, California. (Credit: Erika Hernandez)

Actor Mel Gibson denounced California Governor Gavin Newsom over the ongoing Los Angeles area wildfires while appearing on a Thursday episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. Newsom, a Democrat, has been facing heavy criticism from Republicans including President-elect Donald Trump since several major fires erupted and quickly spread out of control in Southern California earlier this week.

Trump has said he would turn on “a very large faucet” that could send millions of gallons of water from the Columbia River to Los Angeles.

As several fires spread across Southern California, President-elect Donald Trump is pointing fingers, blaming policies from California Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Joe Biden for causing the outbreak.