When longtime wildland firefighter Will Harling discovered a fast‑growing olfactory neuroblastoma in 2024, it underscored a growing concern among Oregon’s fire crews: the long‑term health toll of repeated smoke exposure.

Local advocates demand change

Lisa Moeller, a retired physician assistant and board member of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology, said the group is gathering research that links hazardous wildfire smoke to cancer and chronic lung disease. She noted that most studies have focused on male firefighters, leaving the impact on women largely unexamined.

Moeller explained that firefighters often spend up to 14 consecutive days on the line, sleeping in smoke‑filled camps and working 15‑ to 16‑hour shifts. “Smoke is inhaled, absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes, and there are no screening guidelines for these workers,” she said.

Federal legislation moves forward

In September, U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter and Sen. Jeff Merkley introduced the Wildland Firefighter Health and Safety Act. The bill would create a task force and advisory panel to develop safer respiratory protection, establish a pilot program with agencies nationwide, and require specific safety regulations and workers‑compensation provisions for wildland firefighters.

Dexter, a pulmonologist, warned that “unfettered smoke exposure is devastating and preventable.” The legislation marks the first federal effort to address a workforce that has long been overlooked.

Personal stories highlight the risk

Harling, now back on the line as a burn boss, wears a full‑face respirator and urges compensation that matches the risks firefighters face. “We need to compensate our firefighters for the impacts they’re receiving and the risks they’re taking,” he said.

Former smokejumper Tiffan Thoele, who retired without cardiac or cancer screening, recalled a culture that once prized how much smoke a crew could endure. “It was almost a badge of honor,” she said, noting that long‑term effects were rarely discussed.

What’s next for Oregon firefighters?

Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology continues to track research and push for state‑level protections, while the federal bill moves through Congress. If passed, it could provide the first systematic health safeguards for the men and women who protect Oregon’s forests and communities.

Original reporting: Homepage – Lookout Eugene-Springfield — read the source article.