NFPA Journal column addresses risks to wildland firefighters

Last October, a number of newspapers reported on the loss of a tanker plane that crashed while dropping retardant on the Dog Rock Fire in Yosemite National Park, killing its pilot. This type of media coverage illustrates the significant risks faced by responders, says Lucian Deaton, manager of the Firewise Communities and Fire Adapted Communities programs for NFPA’s Wildland Fire Operations Division. “Wildfire will always be with us, which is why it’s critically important to do what we can to minimize the risks for those who fight those fires, whether they’re flying above the flames or cutting fire breaks on...