COVID-19 and Wildland Firefighters

Wildfires do not stop during a pandemic. The 2020 fire season saw the first-ever single wildfire to burn over 1 million acres, with 44 days at the highest fire preparedness level (and 30 days higher than the 5-year average) when fire personnel and resources are extremely scarce. Circumstances surrounding wildfire incidents can put wildland firefighters at increased risk for the transmission of infectious diseases including COVID-19, due to the fact that firefighters: Work and live in close conditions (riding in shared vehicles, performing fire suppression tasks in close contact, and eating and sleeping in congregate housing). Have limited access to