Protecting Fire Personnel from Infectious Diseases

The wildland fire community’s greatest resource is our personnel. Ensuring our fire personnel are healthy and safe while performing their important work is a priority for the Department of the Interior and the first step in meeting the wildland fire mission. Infectious diseases can have a significant impact on readiness and wildland fire operations as a whole.

Tents arrayed in a fire camp as smoke from a wildfire rises in the distance. Photo by Clayton Schmidt, BLM.

Infectious diseases can have a significant impact on wildland fire operations. Guidance is in place to help limit the spread of infection diseases among fire personnel. Photo by Clayton Schmidt, BLM.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the wildland fire community implemented measures to reduce its spread and enable wildland fire operationst to continue. On May 11, 2023, the U.S. national emergency declaration for the COVID-19 pandemic officially ended.

Although the national emergency is over, we should continue to prioritize and implement strategies to help fire personnel remain healthy throughout the fire season.  All safety protocols outlined in the Interior Department's COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan are still required. The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force is reviewing all relevant COVID-19 policies and will issue further guidance, if necessary.

Wildland fire personnel should refer to the NWCG Guidance for Prevention and Management of Infectious Disease During Wildland Fire Operations for steps to help limit the spread of infectious diseases during fire operations.


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NWCG Infectious Disease Guidance
An illustration of the coronavirus showing short spikes emerging from a sphere
CDC COVID-19 Information

A line of wildland firefighters walks away from the camera through a forest. A white truck is parked ahead of them. The trees and ground around them are partially scorched. Photo by Austin Catlin, BLM.

Interior's COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan

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