- The U.S. Forest Service will now allow its wildland firefighters to wear masks while working.
- Under the new guidance, the masks can be used for light duty work but not during more exhausting labor like digging trenches.
- Researchers have linked high exposure to wildfire smoke to cardiovascular problems, cancer and premature death.
After years of wildland firefighters developing cancer, lung disease and other health issues while not being allowed to wear masks as they work, the U.S. Forest Service will now allow these crews to wear masks.
The policy turnaround comes as the Forest Service posted new guidance on Monday “acknowledging for the first time that masks can protect firefighters against harmful particles in wildfire smoke,” per The New York Times.
Workers were barred from wearing masks for years, with the agency arguing that they were too cumbersome for the job. Current and former officials from the Forest Service reported to The New York Times that the agency did not want to deal with potential expensive consequences of admitting the long-term dangers of smoke exposure.
New guidance from the Forest Service allows wildfire crews to wear masks
The agency reports that it has now stockpiled around 80,000 N95 masks to be included in the standard set of equipment for all large fires.
According to The New York Times, the agency is “encouraging firefighters to mask up and even suggesting that they shave their facial hair for a better fit.”
Previously, the firefighting crews were only allowed to wear bandannas, which don’t protect against toxins.
The new guidance from the Forest Service follows a series of articles The New York Times published documenting a growing occupational health crisis among wildfire crews.
“As climate change makes fire season longer and more intense, firefighters are spending more time in smoke. Many are developing cancer or lung disease at young ages and some are dying,” per The New York Times.
There are 40,000 wildland firefighters in the U.S., and the Forest Service employs the largest share of them. In the wake of The New York Times reporting on firefighter health issues, the agency has come under pressure from Congress.
Under the new guidance, masks are encouraged for light duty work. They are still banned for arduous work such as digging trenches to contain fires because the Forest Service says it may lead to overheating.
This new mask policy is part of a number of improvements coming for wildfire crews.
The National Fire Protection Association will now certify facial coverings that provide more protection than bandannas. This change paves the way for firefighters across the country to use better ventilated coverings such as N95 masks and neck gaiters with built-in filters, per The New York Times.
Health and safety risks from smoke inhalation
According to The New York Times, studies over the last few decades have linked higher wildfire smoke exposure to increased cardiovascular and lung issues, cancer and premature death.
Researchers have found at least 31 carcinogens in wildfire smoke, among other harmful particles. The Forest Service’s current handbook outlining the risks for firefighters doesn’t mention any of the long-term health risks.
Other countries with major wildfire seasons, including Australia, Greece and Canada, have started to hand out half-face respirator masks with replaceable filters, like those worn by painters and demolition teams, per The New York Times.
According to PBS, in these other countries where firefighters are now wearing masks, there have been no upticks of heatstroke, though a risk of heatstroke is why the Forest Service says it hasn’t allowed its crews to wear masks.
The Forest Service also says masks will cause the workers to be less productive. But some people who have spent years at the agency say that if they did allow crews to wear masks, then the agency would have to admit that smoke is dangerous. This would be a huge rethinking of how the Forest Service currently works.
Acknowledging the dangers of smoke could be expensive for the agency, because it would have to take other steps to protect its workers from smoke exposure, per PBS.
Firefighter dies fighting fire near Grand Canyon
On Monday, a firefighter died while doing repairs tied to a major fire by the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, per KSL.com.
The firefighter’s name and age have not been released. He was assigned to work on a Dragon Bravo Fire suppression repair near the entrance of the national park. On Monday afternoon, he suffered a “cardiac emergency.”
A line paramedic responded to the emergency quickly as part of “rapid medical assistance” but the firefighter was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Our hearts go out to his family and friends. The wildland fire community is inherently interagency and a line-of-duty death impacts us all,” federal fire officials said in a statement, per CBS News. “We deeply appreciate this firefighter’s dedication to his profession and to the communities threatened by wildland fire.”
The firefighter had been a part of the Southwest Area Incident Management Team No. 3, which had taken over the firefighting operations on Friday, per KSL.com. The death is being investigated by the National Park Service and the Coconino County, Arizona, medical examiner.
Utah is now providing cancer screenings for urban firefighters
For those used to seeing urban firefighters wearing big masks, the idea of wildland firefighters standing in the midst of smoke with no protection might be shocking.
It wasn’t until the 1970s that urban firefighters began wearing masks. Since the mask requirement went into place, elevated cancer rates in urban firefighters have dropped, per The New York Times.
But cancer is still a risk for urban firefighters, even with protection. During this year’s legislative session, the Utah Legislature passed a law to set up regular cancer screenings for firefighters across the state.
HB65 also expanded the list of presumptive cancers for firefighters while setting up a plan to provide cancer screenings and treatment for them. This creates the most robust firefighter cancer program in the country.
As previously reported by the Deseret News, 60% of line-of-duty deaths for firefighters nationwide are from occupational cancers. These cancers are caused by carcinogens and come from materials that burn in homes, cars and other areas where firefighters work.