Why firefighters are facing toxic smoke with little to no protection

At the height of wildfire season, thousands of firefighters are regularly facing a host of dangers on the frontline, including confronting toxic smoke, prompting PBS NewsHour to take a closer look at the health of wildland firefighters.

Why firefighters are facing toxic smoke with little to no protection

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Between flames and the sky are America’s aerial firefighters

Across the country, fire season is starting early and running late this year, with more than 43,000 wildfires having already burned over 3.5 million acres nationwide, and aerial firefighting is proving to be a key part of efforts to suppress these blazes.

Between flames and the sky are America’s aerial firefighters

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Fun Facts About Boomer In Under Two Minutes

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tom Lasser, a retired Lt Colonel and CH-47 pilot in the California National Guard, sent along a fun and informative video on Billings Flying Service's firefighting version of his favorite aircraft - the mighty CH-47D.

Fun Facts About Boomer In Under Two Minutes

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Top Democrat on Oversight Committee Demands Trump Administration Account for Wildland Firefighter Vacancies

The top Democrat on the House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is demanding that the Agriculture Secretary account for discrepancies between her public statements about wildland firefighter staffing and a ProPublica report showing there were thousands of vacancies in the Forest Service’s firefighting workforce as peak wildfire season approached.

Top Democrat on Oversight Committee Demands Trump Administration Account for Wildland Firefighter Vacancies

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Amid staffing cuts, Forest Service wants seasonal firefighters to work more hours this year

The U.S. Forest Service is taking the unusual step of allowing its temporary staff to work for more than half the year, waiving a statutory cap as it enters peak wildfire season after shedding thousands of personnel.

Amid staffing cuts, Forest Service wants seasonal firefighters to work more hours this year

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U.S. Very Large/Large Air Tanker Fleet and Airport Operations (July, 2025)

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Lance Sherry, Director of the Center for Air Transportation Systems Research at George Mason University, sent along a report on U.S. air-tanker operations with the following comments: "There were a total of 2856 flights In July (up from 1590 in June and 742 in May). The average aircraft operated 68 flights in July (up from 37.8 in June and 11.8 in May). Total flight hours was 2,502 (increase 69% from June)."

U.S. Very Large/Large Air Tanker Fleet and Airport Operations (July, 2025)

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Data Reveal Extent of Air Quality Impacts During 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires

A new study published in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters compares smoke data that went into the maps from federal monitoring stations, low-cost sensors and satellites, highlighting the importance of combining multiple data sources to form easily-accessible information for the public.

Data Reveal Extent of Air Quality Impacts During 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires

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