Wildfires

Every summer, thousands of wildland firefighters endure months of heavy exposure to smoke and other toxins without respiratory protection. As a troubling picture of the health implications emerges, policies are beginning to change.

Homeowners in Idaho are facing rising insurance costs and harder-to-maintain coverage. Now newly released data is shedding light on the scope of the problem.

Earlier this year, Idaho officials asked homeowners insurance providers in the state for data on their operations, including information on premiums and policy cancellations. Newly released findings paint a troubling picture for the Gem State, and a top official says other Western states should undertake similar efforts.

The American West has seen the number of structures lost in wildfires more than triple in recent decades. But new research shows that home hardening measures can significantly increase a home’s chances of survivability during a wildfire.

When conditions allow for it to be done safely, research strongly suggests that land managers should let some fires burn to reduce the risk of catastrophic blazes. But making that decision can be complicated. A new study highlights ways to incentivize that often difficult call.

Over the summer, an executive order from President Trump called for the consolidation of federal wildfire programs “to the maximum degree practicable.” The secretaries of Interior and Agriculture recently released their plans responding to that and other demands – and they’ve garnered praise and criticism.

Wildfire and other emergency response personnel will continue working during the federal government shutdown that began this week, but advocates warn that those workers could still be impacted.

Earlier this year, the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer (NFR) went offline in the wake of massive layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services. But since restarting in May, enrollment has surged by roughly 8,000.

In June, the Trump administration called for a consolidation of federal wildfire agencies “to achieve the most efficient and effective use of wildland fire offices.” Now federal leaders have released plans about how to carry out the order.

The federal government has issued new guidelines to wildland firefighters for the voluntary use of protective masks. The move comes as knowledge of long-term health risks faced by such workers – including cancer – grows.