Senate Committee Advances Respirator Requirements for Federal Wildland Firefighters
The measure would direct the U.S. Forest Service and Department of Interior to work with OSHA, NIOSH and wildfire agencies on the requirements.
- By Danielle Naidu
- Sep 21, 2026
Federal wildland firefighters could gain their first federal smoke-exposure limits and dedicated respiratory protection under provisions included in legislation advanced by the Senate Agriculture Committee.
The Healthy Lungs for Heroes Act provisions were included in the committee’s 2026 Farm Bill. The measure would direct the U.S. Forest Service and Department of the Interior to work with OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to establish exposure limits.
The agencies would also work with the National Wildfire Coordinating Group and other federal organizations on a strategy for making appropriate commercial respiratory protection available. The equipment would need to account for the operational demands faced by wildland firefighters.
The legislation follows September 2025 U.S. Forest Service guidance acknowledging that respiratory protection can reduce exposure to harmful particles in wildfire smoke. That guidance eased the agency’s longstanding respirator ban for light-duty tasks, but the prohibition remains in place for arduous firefighting work.
About the Author
Danielle Naidu is assistant editor for Security Today, Campus Security Today, Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Online.