Personal PM2.5 exposure among wildland firefighters working at prescribed forest burns in southeastern United States

Abstract

Wildland firefighters are primarily responsible forwildfire suppression in wildlands, including forests, grasslands, and brush, but also engage in prescribed burning. Prescribed burns, as opposed to wildfires, are intentionally set by firefighters and are used as a land management tool for improving forage value of the forests, and reducing wildfire hazard and competing vegetation.⁽¹⁾ They have become such a mandatory land management practice that as much as 6 to 8 million acres of land are treated with prescribed burns by land managers each year in the southern United States alone,⁽²⁾ and it is estimated that tens of thousands of firefighters across the country work at these burns annually.⁽³⁾

Citation

Adetona Olorunfemi; Dunn Kevin; Hall Daniel B.; Achtemeier Gary; Stock Allison; Naeher LP. 2011. Personal PM2.5 exposure among wildland firefighters working at prescribed forest burns in southeastern United States. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. 8:503-511. 10 p. DOI:10.1080/15459624.2011.595257