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The Forest Service is changing course as it faces growing pressure over firefighters who are falling ill with cancer and other smoke-related illnesses.
Sept. 9, 2025Updated 1:01 p.m. ET
The U.S. government is providing wildfire fighters with masks to protect against smoke — reversing a decades-long ban that exposed workers to toxins known to cause cancer and other serious diseases.
The Forest Service posted new guidance on Monday acknowledging for the first time that masks can protect firefighters against harmful particles in wildfire smoke.
For years, the agency had barred workers from wearing masks, arguing that they were too cumbersome for the job. But current and former officials have said the agency did not want to deal with the potentially costly consequences of admitting the long-term dangers of smoke exposure.
In an about-face, the agency now says it has stockpiled some 80,000 N95 masks and will include them in the standard set of equipment in all large fires. It is encouraging firefighters to mask up and even suggesting that they shave their facial hair for a better fit. Previously, they were only allowed to wear bandannas, which offer no protection against toxins.
“This is going to make a huge difference in protecting people’s health,” said Timothy Ingalsbee, executive director of the nonprofit group Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology.
The shift comes after a series of articles in The New York Times documented 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.
