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Effects of Smoke Exposure

 

Wildland fire smoke is a complex mix of chemicals and particles, which varies depending on the fuels, soil, weather, fire intensity, and the burning phase of the fire. Some of the chemicals and particles that are present can pose a health risk particularly with higher exposures or long duration exposures. Wildland fire smoke can cause irritating respiratory symptoms and, over time, could possibly increase the risk of developing long-term illnesses.

While the makeup of smoke varies, here are just a few of the ways smoke could impact your health:

  • Carbon Monoxide (CO) – Exposure to CO from wildland fire smoke or from other sources (such as exhaust from chainsaws, engines, or pumps) may lead to a variety of symptoms including impaired vision and judgement, headaches, and fatigue. In extreme situations, high levels of exposure can cause asphyxiation, which can lead to death.
  • Fine Particulate Matter (PM) – Wildland fire smoke contains very small particles (PM) which can penetrate deep into the lungs. Long-term exposure can affect the lungs and heart, especially in individuals with underlying health issues (e.g., high blood pressure, high cholesterol), smokers, and those who work in stressful environments.
  • A variety of other chemicals, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are also present in wildland fire smoke. These may further increase your risk of short-term or even long-term health effects.
  • COVID-19 –  Susceptibility to COVID-19 resulting from smoke exposure has not yet been specifically studied, but related studies show exposure to wildland smoke can lead to an increased susceptibility to respiratory infections, including pneumonia and bronchitis. Additionally, severity of infections or symptoms may be increased due to the respiratory tract’s immune responses to smoke exposure. Thus, it’s assumed that risk of COVID-19 infection would be high for firefighters with respiratory issues resulting from wildland smoke exposure.

Smoke is part of the wildland fire environment. Now more than ever, firefighters and incident overhead should be on the lookout for opportunities to reduce exposure. Incident overhead can think strategically about assigning wildland firefighting tasks in certain work environments and ask does our workforce really need to be in the smoke to meet the operational objectives? Other considerations include:

  • Is camp located where smoke accumulates?
  • Is the crew dispersed holding a smoke-choked road when the probability of ignition is near zero?
  • Are firefighters mopping-up an area that poses no operational threat?

Discussion: There are certain tasks that have been associated with higher exposures to smoke. Below are some of those tasks. How can you and your crew realistically reduce smoke and PM exposure during these (and other) tasks?

  • Mop-up
  • Holding
  • Line construction
  • Firing

Think about and discuss this partial quote from an article in Two More Chains: Summer 2017 Low Hanging Fruit:

“As CO exposure increases, your ability to think clearly decreases. Being in smoke you don’t need to be in is the epitome of not working smarter. In fact, it is actually working dumber.”

 

 

Category
Firefighter Health & First Aid
References
WFSTAR Module - Smoke: Knowing the Risks
FINAL REPORT Wildland Fire Smoke Health Effects on Wildland Firefighters and th…
Factors affecting smoke and crystalline silica exposure among wildland firefigh…
Wildland firefighter smoke exposure and risk of lung cancer and cardiovascular …
Firefighter's Acute Inflammatory Response to Wildfire Suppression

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NWCG Latest Announcements

ETC/RMC Safety Bulletin: 25-001 New Guidance on Laundering Wildland Fire Clothing to Reduce Contamination

Date: Aug 8, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Equipment Technology Committee
 Risk Management Committee

The Equipment Technology Committee (ETC) and the Risk Management Committee (RMC) have issued Safety Bulletin 25-001: Laundering to Decontaminate Wildland Fire Clothing. Recent research revealed that wildland fire flame-resistant pants and shirts can be contaminated with chemicals from combustion byproducts, including carcinogens, and that common laundering practices can effectively remove these harmful contaminants from wildland firefighter clothing more effectively than previously understood. It is recommended to decontaminate wildland fire clothing as frequently as possible. 

Frequently Asked Questions about this new information and how to implement recommendations can be found on the NWCG Alerts page. Read the complete ETC/RMC Safety Bulletin: 25-001 to learn more. 

References:

NWCG Alerts

ETC Safety Bulletin: 25-001

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Laundering to Decontaminate Wildland Fire Clothing

Equipment Technology Committee

Risk Management Committee

FAQ Now Available for Archiving Type 1 and Type 2 Incident Positions

Date: Aug 6, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Incident and Position Standards Committee

To support the transition to Complex Incident Management (CIM), NWCG will archive all Type 1 and Type 2 Command and General Staff (C&G) position qualifications in January 2026, as outlined in NWCG Executive Board Memo 25-002. To assist with this transition, a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document is now available.

This resource answers common questions about the status of Type 1 and Type 2 qualifications, impacts to incident qualification management, training requirements, and resource ordering considerations. Review the full FAQ to learn more.

For additional information on CIM and the transition of C&G positions, see NWCG Executive Board Memos 23-005, 24-005, and 25-002, as well as the Incident Workforce and Development Group webpage.

References:

NWCG Type 1 & Type 2 Position Archiving FAQ

NWCG Executive Board Correspondence

Incident Workforce Development Group

Incident and Position Standards Committee

Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Books Now Available for UASD, UASM, UASL and UASP

Date: July 31, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Interagency Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Subcommittee
 

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Books are now available for all four Unmanned Aircraft Systems positions:

  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Data Specialist (UASD)
  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Manager (UASM)
  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Module Leader (UASL)
  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pilot (UASP)

The Performance Support Packages for these positions were developed as part of the Incident Performance and Training Modernization effort. These resources support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators in their respective roles.

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1, scheduled for January 2026.

References:

NWCG Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Data Specialist Position Page

NWCG Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Manager Position Page

NWCG Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Module Leader Position Page

NWCG Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pilot Position Page

Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Books Now Available for RADO and INCM

Date: July 30, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Incident Logistics Subcommittee
 

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Books are now available for Radio Operator (RADO) and Incident Communications Center Manager (INCM).

The Performance Support Packages for these positions were developed as part of the Incident Performance and Training Modernization effort. These resources support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators in their respective roles.

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1, scheduled for January 2026.

References:

NWCG Radio Operator Position Page

NWCG Incident Communications Center Manager Position Page