Background

In July 2025, the Equipment Technology Committee (ETC) and Risk Management Committee (RMC) released a safety bulletin (linked below) with laundering recommendations for wildland firefighter (WFF) clothing in response to increased research and awareness of contaminants that adhere to wildland firefighting clothing. The wildland fire environment exposes WFFs to hazardous compounds that can increase the risk of illnesses and diseases, including various cancers. These chemicals arise from smoke, ash, and soot which can be inhaled, ingested, or potentially absorbed through direct skin contact, possibly from contaminated personal protective equipment (PPE).

Recommendations 

To reduce the risk of exposure to these chemical contaminants, it is recommended that WFFs launder their flame-resistant (FR) clothing as often as possible and separately from other clothing. Current research indicates that common laundering practices can be effective at decontaminating wildland firefighting clothing. While it is still unknown which chemical contaminants and how much of them are transferred from contaminated clothing and absorbed through the skin, the following precautions can reduce the risk of exposure. 

Best Practices

While on incidents:

• Use the laundry services. 
  • When laundry services are not available or are not practical, shower or use a “bath-in-a-bag” to remove contaminants from your skin. 
• Change into clean FR clothing. 
  • Bring multiple pairs of FR clothing while on assignment and change clothing as supplies allow.

At your home unit (preferred) or at home (if laundering facilities are not available at your unit):

• Wash your firefighting clothing separate from other laundry to minimize risk of cross contamination
• A standard washing machine is effective at removing contaminants
• Common household detergents are sufficient
  • Soak heavily soiled areas (cuffs and collars) in a degreaser to help remove contaminants
• Wash on HOT setting

Always review manufacturers’ guidance for cleaning recommendations. Remember to prioritize your personal health and safety by implementing good hygiene practices.  

Discussion Questions:

• What barriers prevent you from bringing more pairs of FR clothing with you while on assignment? Why do those barriers exist? What opportunities does your crew have to change them?  
• What prevents you from laundering your clothing during an assignment or throughout the season? Discuss the different barriers (and possible solutions) to doing laundry when working initial attack out of your home station versus extended attack on large incidents. 
• When was the last time you washed your FR clothing? Discuss establishing a crew standard operating procedure that incorporates the best practices for PPE laundering listed above.
• What are some other benefits to maintaining clean FR clothing?
• Decisions around health and risk can be impacted by hyperbolic discounting – our inclination to choose immediate rewards over rewards that come later in the future, even when these immediate rewards are smaller. How can laundering PPE be one work task that gets caught up in hyperbolic discounting? (To read more: https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/hyperbolic-discounting)

References: 

• NWCG ETC/RMC: Safety Bulletin: 25-001, Frequently Asked Questions
• Federal Wildland Firefighter Health and Wellbeing Program, Environmental and Occupational Health
• Related 6MFS: Carcinogen Exposure Risk 
• Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center: High Visibility – More to the Story