Why Are Firefighters Battling Wildfires Without Masks?
Update: 2025-08-25
Description
Imagine approaching a wildfire with nothing but a bandana to protect you. That’s how U.S. Forest Service firefighters typically battle blazes – with no masks or other respiratory protection. New York Times reporter Hannah Dreier recently headed into the field to find out why. We’ll talk to Dreier and a California firefighter about why it’s been so hard to change the culture and policy around protective gear and how firefighters are dealing with the life-threatening effects.
Guests:
Hannah Dreier, investigative reporter, The New York Times
Joe Perez, firefighter based in Northern California
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